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Approximately 50-70 percent of our body weight is made up of water.
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This water comes partly from what we drink, from the food we eat, especially fruit, vegetables as well as being constantly formed by the complex metabolic processes which are at work in our bodies all the time .
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Doctors therefore recommend that it is vital we drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid a day to prevent dehydration.
Tea
Tea also contains caffeine, but much less than coffee and therefore any dehydration from tea is very unlikely. In fact doctors recommend weak cold tea for oral rehydration. Most soft drinks and natural fruit juices are sugar-loaded. Even a small glass of juice (250 ml) contains the equivalent of five sugar cubes, and more sugar is present in a can of non-diet cold drinks.
As the world's most popular drink, tea makes a significant contribution to the nation’s fluid intake. In the Tea Council’s Healthy Drinks Survey in UK, tea was considered the best value-for-money drink by 58 percent.
Taken on its own, tea has no calories. Taken with milk, the average daily tea consumption provides approximately 16 per cent of the recommended daily amount of calcium and significant amounts of folic acid, riboflavin (B2) and vitamin B6.
Tea also contains caffeine, but much less than coffee and therefore any dehydration from tea is very unlikely. In fact doctors recommend weak cold tea for oral rehydration. Most soft drinks and natural fruit juices are sugar-loaded. Even a small glass of juice (250 ml) contains the equivalent of five sugar cubes, and more sugar is present in a can of non-diet cold drinks.
As the world's most popular drink, tea makes a significant contribution to the nation’s fluid intake. In the Tea Council’s Healthy Drinks Survey in UK, tea was considered the best value-for-money drink by 58 percent.
Taken on its own, tea has no calories. Taken with milk, the average daily tea consumption provides approximately 16 per cent of the recommended daily amount of calcium and significant amounts of folic acid, riboflavin (B2) and vitamin B6.
Vitamins
Black
tea contains small amounts of a number of vitamins considered essential
for maintaining health. Carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, has antioxidant
and protective properties. Thiamin (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin
B2) are both essential for releasing energy from food. Nicotinic acid
and pantothenic acid are necessary for the release of energy from fat
and carbohydrate. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is essential for a healthy
immune system. Vitamin B6 is involved in the metabolism of proteins. Folic
Acid plays a role in cell division. The average daily consumption of tea
in the UK (24fl.oz), drunk with semi skimmed milk provides 9% of the daily
requirement of Vitamin B1, 25% of the daily requirement of Vitamin B2,
6% of the daily requirement of Vitamin B6, 10% of the daily requirement
of Folic Acid
Minerals
Tea
is a rich source of minerals essential for health:
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Manganese is essential for bone growth and the body's development and 2-5mg a day is required for good health. Tea is one of the richest sources of manganese in our diet, with 5-6 cups of tea providing 45% of our daily requirement.
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Potassium is vital for maintaining a normal heart beat. It enables nerves and muscles to function and regulates fluid levels within the cells. Deficiency leads to erratic heart beat and fatigue. Tea is a rich source of potassium. 5-6 cups provide nearly 3/4 of the recommended daily intake for an adult.
Click on What's in a cup ? for specific details of the nutritive value.
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| TEA & NUTRITION | BELIEFS | NATURE'S DRINK | WHAT'S IN A CUP |
