New research, published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, suggests that combining citrus juice or vitamin C with green tea or green tea extract could increase the absorption of antioxidants found in tea by as much as 13 times.  The reason for this is that citrus juice and vitamin C appear to interact with catechins to prevent break down in the intestines.  Among other health benefits, catechins (tea’s antioxidants) are believed to be responsible for reducing the risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke.  According to Mario Ferruzzi, who led the study at Purdue University, catechins are relatively unstable in non-acidic environments, such as the intestines, and less than 20 per cent of the total remains after digestion.  In fact, Ferruzzi found that citrus juice increased absorbable catechins by more than five times and vitamin C by anywhere from six to thirteen times.

So pass the OJ to get a boost…a boost in the health benefits of green tea that is!  Stayed tuned as more research is ongoing…

Back in November we noted how you can keep trim with tea. But, as it turns out, tea has other hidden beauty benefits to boot! According to writers at ForAHealthyWoman web site, “Your eyes’ beauty depends on tea.” As a low-cost alternative to expensive creams, warm or cold tea bags are a natural remedy for those of us who wake with puffiness or bags under the eyes. Just reuse the same “black tea bags you place into your favorite mug” for immediate relief.

If that weren’t enough, tea bags are also a healthy solution for blemish control and as a lip toner, says Cait Johnson at Care2 Healthy Living Channels. In addition to tea’s skin-friendly antioxidants and vitamins A and C, tea is a natural astringent. Simply place a warm teabag on skin blemishes for several minutes or help prevent pimples by using tea as a facial rinse. For a lip toner, just apply a warm teabag to clean lips for five minutes.

Johnson cautions that “very strong black tea can cause tan-like staining of skin.” To avoid this, be sure to enjoy your favorite Bigelow tea as a beverage first. Then, reuse the tea bags in your beauty regimen.