白領日飲三杯茶更健康 泡茶有大講究
To reap the health benefits of tea you need to drink three cups a day, according to Simon Gibbons, Professor of Phytochemistry at the University of London School of Pharmacy. He suggests drinking one cup in the morning, one at midday and one in the evening. 'You must leave the tea (whether a bag or leaf) to steep for at least five minutes to allow the hot water to extract the plant material,' he says.
來自倫敦學派大學藥房的教授經過研究認爲，如果早、中、晚每日都飲茶，可以變得更健康，特別是泡茶的時候，泡茶的時間至少要到5分鐘以上，可以使得茶葉中提取物更容易被吸收。
CUTS STROKE RISK
減少中風的危險
A 15-year study in the Netherlands found a strong link between regular consumption of tea made with black tea leaves drunk without milk and reduced risk of stroke. Researchers concluded that the flavonoids (nutrients with anti-oxidant properties) found in high concentrations in black tea helped reduce the production of LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol that can cause arteries to narrow, increasing the chance of stroke or heart attack.
一項在荷蘭爲其15年的實驗調查證明，單純喝“不加奶的紅茶”可以大大減少患中風的危險。 研究者總結，在紅茶中“黃酮類”物質（一種具有抗氧化功能的營養素）含量很高，可以大大降低低密度脂蛋白，喝紅茶有利健康，因爲有害的膽固醇可以使得動脈血管萎縮，使得患高血壓、心臟病的風險大大增加。
AIDS DIGESTION
幫助消化
Green tea - made from unprocessed tea leaves - helps keep your digestive system regular. It can also help with weight loss: green tea has been found to block the absorption of bad fats by up to 30 per cent. Peppermint tea is also beneficial. Herbalist Sebastian Pole, of Pukka Herbs, explains: 'The essential oils in mint help to relax tension in the digestive system to help you digest your food better.' They prevent the intestinal muscles from cramping and allow digestive gases to pass easily.
在外國，綠茶指的是不經加工的茶葉。喝綠茶可以使得消化系統更好的運轉，身體過於肥胖的人飲用綠茶有減肥的效果，因爲飲用綠茶可以“抑制”脂肪吸收達到30%。此外，飲用薄荷茶對健康也很有益處，有中草藥專家稱：“在薄荷中含有的精油成分可以大大舒緩消化系統的緊張程度，此外，它可以防止腸道肌肉緊張蠕動，使得腸道脹氣程度緩解。” 
BRAIN FUNCTION
大腦機能
Black tea can help you concentrate. A study at the University of Northumbria found that caffeine and L-theanine in black tea leaves improves cognitive skills. In a test, those who drank two cups performed better than those who drank placebo tea.
飲用紅茶可以幫助您的注意力得到集中，因爲紅茶裏面的咖啡因以及茶氨酸可以改善大腦的認知功能。來自諾森比亞大學的專家進行的實驗證實，那些每日飲用2杯紅茶的民衆比“安慰劑茶”的民衆腸道系統運行更健康。
ANTI-CANCER
抗癌效果
Tea contains polyphenols, antioxidants that can stop cancer cells growing. Tea has about eight to ten times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables. Green tea is especially high in polyphenols.A recent study in Taiwan found that drinking one cup of green tea a day can reduce the risk of lung cancer, particularly for those carrying a certain gene. It is also thought to slow the progress of prostate cancer and to reduce the risk of stomach cancer.
茶葉中富含多酚、以及抗氧化劑等元素，這些成分都能抑制癌細胞的增長。此外，相對普通的蔬菜和水果，茶葉具有的“多酚”含量比較多，是普通蔬果的8到10倍，而“綠茶”是茶葉中多酚含量最高的。一項來自臺灣的研究表明，每日飲用一杯綠茶可以減少患肺癌的風險，特別是對於身體中有癌細胞的人抑制效果更爲顯著。此外，飲用綠茶可以降低前列腺癌的的進展，減少患胃癌的風險。
