Did you know that your calf size could affect your risk of a stroke?  According to a recent segment on NBC’s Today Show it can. Take a look at the video featuring Courtney Smith, Executive Editor of Prevention Magazine where Smith explains that women with calves measuring less than 13 inches – have a higher risk of a stroke.

Concerned host, Kathy Lee Gifford falls just on the border in that category, so what advice was offered? Drink a lot of green tea!  Take an even closer look at the clip and you’ll notice that, of course, they chose to display some delicious Bigelow Tea!

The segment outlined a study of over 40,500 Japanese men and women; those who drank five or more cups of green tea daily had the lowest risk of dying of heart disease and stroke.

Here at Bigelow Tea, we’ve been talking about the positive effects that green tea can have on reducing the risk of a stroke for some time now. Check out some of our previous posts on green tea and stroke prevention! And enjoy that extra cup of Bigelow Green Tea Today, and every day!

Tea imports in the US are projected to climb 7 percent in 2009 — representing 17 million more pounds of tea than in the previous year. People are responding to numerous reports of the health benefits of tea, says the Tea Association of the U.S.A. “Tea enjoys positive imagery regarding its contributions to health, versus other beverages,” said association president Joe Simrany, reported Reuters. All the positive reports on tea — and we have seen them for years — continue to help grow sales. Of course, tea provides more than just health benefits; the buzz on tea grows because it’s the perfect beverage for any situation, and every day. People respond to Bigelow Tea because of its delicious simplicity.

Constant Comments, our Bigelow Tea Blog, has been sharing numerous reports about the growing appreciation for tea for years now. Comments range from the continuing rise of the popularity of tea, to the migration from coffee to tea reported on 60 Minutes, to tea used in health and beauty tips on the Today Show. So this new news release on U.S. tea imports rising in 2008 is not too surprising — even with 257 million pounds of tea being imported in 2008, up from 240 million pounds in 2007. This growth is expected to continue, and Bigelow Tea is right in at the forefront of the fastest-growing segment, specialty teas. Even the big coffee houses have all included a line of such teas. And it’s also true that Bigelow Tea is steeping sales all across the globe, with a significant presence in many countries for many years. It seems that the power of a great cup of tea cannot be stopped!