Got Tea? Hold the Milk!

Many of us in of the baby boomer generation and older grew up drinking tea the old-fashioned way, with a teaspoon or two of sugar and some milk. We knew that tea was good for us – but we didn’t know that adding milk nullified some of the health benefits.

Bigelow® Earl Grey Tea

Medical studies have shown that regular consumption of tea, with its concentration of the flavonoid known as catechin, provides significant protection against cardiovascular disease by improving arterial function.  Milk contains proteins called caseins which, when interacting with tea, reduce the positive, biological effects of the catechins.  So to maximize its health benefits, drink the tea, but hold the milk!

At Bigelow Tea, we have a wonderful selection of flavorful teas, with abundant antioxidants, to which you wouldn’t even dream of adding milk. After all, does a scotch aficionado add water or ice to the mix? Of course not, he or she drinks it neat. The same goes for the die-hard tea drinker.  To savor the taste and reap the health benefits of this age-old libation, steep it well and then drink it as is.

Whether you linger over a cup of our delicate Jasmine Green Tea as part of your evening ritual, or sip some refreshing Plantation Mint® Tea with its delightful blend of natural spearmint in the middle of one of one of your busy days – be confident knowing that you are taking good care of your heart, and overall health.  And, by the way, tea is good for the soul, too!