In a previous post, I talked about MayKing Tea’s goal, which was to collaborate with other businesses.  This month I want to talk about collaborating with health professionals.  I have held several seminars with health specialists in their respective fields and felt it was a great way to introduce people to tea.  This post explains briefly some of the points I made during my presentation on the Top 10 secrets to the health benefits of tea.

1. Making Tea – There are four key components to making a good cup of tea:
   a.  Tea storage – I wrote a post about a tea I had in my cupboard for three years, which helped to illustrate this point.
   b.  Good tea leaves – The previous post explains this point clearly too.
   c.  Water – Reboiling the kettle means boiling oxygen out of the water and hence the flavor of the tea.  I normally get an “I didn’t know that” reaction when I explain this point.
   d.  Temperature – Another “a-ha” moment arises when I explain that green tea shouldn’t taste bitter and if it does, it might be due to the temperature at which the tea has been brewed.
2. Antioxidants and Flavonoids – I explain that while some teas are reputed to have more antioxidants than others, as long as tea is incorporated into one’s eating / drinking habits, it doesn’t matter which tea you drink.  Choose a tea that you like and reach for a tea rather than the biscuit tin.
3. Yes to Caffeine – There are lots of myths to dispel here, such as there is more caffeine in tea than in coffee (in the dry leaf, yes, that’s true, but not in the cup) and tea is a diuretic and dehydrating (which is discussed in another T Ching post).  I also explain that a little caffeine is good as it helps to keep the mind alert.  Too much of one thing is bad for us, of course, which brings me onto my next point.
4. Karma – Karma is about cause and effect.  While some teas are reputed to contribute to weight loss, all teas can have a similar effect, but only as part of a balanced program.  Eat well, drink plenty of fluids, exercise, and sleep well.  Tea is not a miracle cure.
5. Immune System – Tea contains vitamins and minerals to help boost the immune system, but I am careful to point out that tea is not a substitute for vitamin supplements.
6. Not Tea – In all my presentations, I clearly state what is tea and what is not tea.  There are plenty of herbal infusions that people drink for their health benefits.  I talk about my personal favorites in this section.
7. Gaba and Green Tea – Gaba is renowned for its calming effect.  Gaba tea and oolong and green teas are often sold for their weight loss claims, although I do reiterate here, that tea is not a miracle cure; it is all about balance.
8. Theanine – Another amino acid renowned for its calming effect is theanine.  Theanine is the perfect Yin to caffeine’s Yang.
9. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) – Many fitness instructors encourage their clients to drink green tea because of its potent antioxidants, including EGCG.  It’s an opportunity for me to explain that while green tea has EGCG, black tea has thearubigins (another antioxidant type) and to emphasize that just because there have been more studies written about green tea than black tea does not equate to green tea being healthier.
10. And Enjoy – My final point is “Don’t drink tea because it’s good for you; drink it because it’s really enjoyable!”

To educate people about the various website claims of slimming and weight loss teas, I hope to run regular seminars to counteract their claims.

P.S.: If you take the first letter from each of the ten secrets above, what do you get?  MayKing Tea, of course!