Tea comes in as the second most consumed beverage in the world, next to water. It is no surprise why!
Besides being super tasty, tea offers up a whole host of healthy benefits for the drinker – one of which is a potent immune system boost.
It is a well-known fact that polyphenols, i.e. the antioxidants found in plants are what gives tea its immune-boosting superpowers. One particular type of polyphenols in particular – catechins – are wonderful for killing influenza viruses.
It may also protect your cells against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.
Read: 3 Green Tea Tips for Weight Loss
p.s. For that extra virus blasting kick, add lemon and honey!
Lay off the milk though, because the protein in it will bind to the polyphenols, making them ineffective.
Alkylamine in Tea
Another recent study conducted by Jack F. Bukowski, published in the online journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, discovered that the compound “alkylamine” is abundantly available in tea. It can also help prime the body’s immune system to fight off infections.
It is present in bacteria, cancerous cells, parasites, fungi and other diseases causing microbes. In the same way an immunity shot preps the body to ward off stronger disease causing agents, tea teaches immune cells to recognize alyklamines. Even though alyklamines in tea are relatively weak, and don’t fully activate the immune system, they do prep it to be in a state of readiness when a full-blown infection does occur.
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The experiment, conducted on human volunteers, proved that the immune system of tea drinkers responded five time faster and more aggressively to germs than the blood cells of non drinkers.
What are you waiting for? Drink up and strengthen your immune system. Invest in your own health and wellness!
Written by Roleaf
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