International Tea Day

International Tea Day is observed annually on December 15. It has been celebrated since 2005 in tea producing countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Uganda, India, and Tanzania.

International Tea Day aims to draw global attention from governments and citizens on the impact of the global tea trade on workers and growers and has been linked to requests for price supports and fair trade.

Regarded for thousands of years in the East as a key to good health, happiness, and wisdom, tea has caught the attention of researchers, who are discovering the many health benefits of different types of teas.

Types of Teas and Their Health Benefits

From green tea to chamomile, teas are full of flavonoids and other health rewards.

Studies have found some teas may help with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; encourage weight loss; lower cholesterol, and bring about mental alertness.

Health Benefits of Tea: Green, Black, and White Tea

Tea is a name given to a lot of brews, but many consider only green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea the real thing. They are all derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, a shrub native to China and India, and contain unique antioxidants called flavonoids. The most potent of these, known as ECGC, may help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries.

All these teas have caffeine and theanine, which affect the brain and seem to heighten mental alertness.

The more processed the tea leaves, usually the less polyphenol content. Polyphenols include flavonoids. Oolong and black teas are oxidized or fermented, so they have lower concentrations of polyphenols than green tea, but their antioxidizing power is still high.

Here are some studies exploring the potential health benefits of tea:

Green tea. Made with steamed tea leaves, it has a high concentration of EGCG and has been widely studied. Green tea’s antioxidants may interfere with the growth of cancers; prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.

Black tea. Made with fermented tea leaves, black tea has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for flavored teas like chai, along with some instant teas. Studies have shown black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also may reduce the risk of stroke.

White tea. Uncured and unfermented. One study showed that white tea has the most potent anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.

Oolong tea. Limited research related to lowering bad cholesterol levels.

Pu-erh tea. Made from fermented and aged leaves. Considered a black tea, its leaves are pressed into cakes. Pu-erh is being studied in its relationship to reduced LDL cholesterol.

Health Benefits of Tea: Herbal Teas

Made from herbs, fruits, seeds, or roots steeped in hot water, herbal teas have lower concentrations of antioxidants than green, white, black, and oolong teas. Their chemical compositions vary widely depending on the plant used.

Varieties include ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, hibiscus, jasmine, rosehip, mint, rooibos (red tea), chamomile, and echinacea.

Limited research has been done on the health benefits of herbal teas, but claims that they help to lose weight, fight off colds, and helps with sleep are largely unsupported.

Here are some findings:

Chamomile tea: Its antioxidants may help prevent complications from diabetes, like loss of vision and nerve and kidney damage, and stunt the growth of cancer cells.

Echinacea: Often touted as a way to fight the common cold, the research on echinacea has been inconclusive.

Hibiscus: A small study found that drinking three cups of hibiscus tea daily lowered blood pressure in people with modestly elevated levels.

Rooibos (red tea): A South African herb that is fermented. Although it has flavonoids with cancer-fighting properties, medical studies have been limited.

Health Benefits of Tea: Instant teas

Instant tea may contain very little amounts of actual tea and plenty of sugars or artificial sweeteners. For health’s sake, check out the ingredients on the label.

Can Tea Be Bad for Your Health?

Most teas are benign, but the FDA has issued warnings about the so-called dieter’s teas that contain senna, aloe, buckthorn, and other plant-derived laxatives.

References
1. Types of Teas and Their Health Benefits, WebMD
2. Health Benefits of Tea - Learn About the Effects of Tea on Health, Including Its Role in the Prevention of Many Diseases, Arpita Basu, Ph.D., RD, Today's Dietitian
3. Flavonoids: The secret to health benefits of drinking black and green tea? Harvard Health

December 15, National Cupcake Day A Special Blueberry Cupcake

Blueberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 large white potato, peeled and cut into small chunks

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk

1 cup blueberries, fresh, plus fresh blueberries for garnish

Frosting

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons water

4 teaspoons dried egg whites (equivalent to 2 egg whites)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons blueberry preserves or jam

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Place potato in a saucepan, add water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and mash until very smooth. Measure out 3/4 cup and let cool slightly. 

3. Whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

4. Beat granulated sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in egg, 1/2 teaspoon extract, and the 3/4 cup mashed potatoes until combined. 

5. With the mixer on low, alternately mix in the dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until just combined. 

6. Fold in 1 cup blueberries. Divide the batter among the prepared cups. 

7. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Frosting
1. Once the cupcakes are cool, bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler. 

2. Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water in the top of the double boiler. Place over the simmering water and heat, stirring, until the sugar is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Start beating the mixture with an electric mixer on high speed.
3. Add reconstituted egg whites, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. Continue beating until the mixture looks like a shiny, thick frosting, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Off the heat, beat for 1 minute more to cool.
5. Add 2 tablespoons blueberry preserves (or jam) and 1/4 teaspoon extract and beat on low just to combine.
5. Spread or pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and decorate with fresh blueberries on top

                       

Nutrition Information 

Food Groups: 1 fruit, 2.25 Starch/Bread

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December 11, UNICEF is Founded Providing Children Worldwide with Food, Clothing and Health Care

UNICEF  was created on December 11, 1946, by the United Nations to provide children with food, clothing, and health care. UNICEF believes nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF is active in more than 190 countries and territories through country programs and National Committees.

History of UNICEF
Sir Roger Moore narrates a brief history of UNICEF, telling the story of a small UN agency founded to bring relief to the children in countries torn apart by WWII to the global force for health, education, and child protection it is today.

 

UNICEF Facts

Poverty contributes to malnutrition, which in turn is a contributing factor in over half of the under-five deaths in developing countries. Some 300 million children go to bed hungry every day. Of these only eight percent are victims of famine or other emergency situations. More than 90 percent are suffering from long-term malnourishment and micronutrient deficiency. (State of the World’s Children, UNICEF, 2005)

In all developing regions, children in rural areas and children from poor households are more likely to be underweight due to lack of nutrition. (Progress for Children, UNICEF, 2010)

884 million people lack access to improved drinking water sources, and 84 percent of them live in rural areas. (Progress for Children, UNICEF, 2010)

In wake of the floods, malnutrition threatens
thousands of children in Pakistan

 Shop UNICEF

Shop the UNICEF store and help children in need.
Every UNICEF card and gift you buy supports the efforts
to save children’s lives around the world.

UNICEF: "Let's Heal the World"

Young people from different nationalities across the globe

are sending a message of peace and hope through music, 

as part of a UNICEF partnership with Limkokwing University 

of Creative Technology to help create a world fit for children.