A rare day where i prepare all my 3 meals… Here’s the menu for the day…

I am a tea lover ever since I came across Tazo Mint Tea in Taiwan, i can drink up to 3 cups a days, and the beauty of it, it is zero calories, zero caffeine. I once ignorantly drank chinese tea like water during chinese new year, it step up my heart beat so much at night, i thought i was going to have a heart attack, so it is good to understand different kind of teas. Tea are famous for their antioxidants… i never really bother, until i was concern i was drinking too much of it… So i googled and wonder why do we need antioxidants.

Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer etc are all contributed by oxidative damage. Indeed, a recent study conducted by researchers from London found that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of stroke by 25 percent. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.

(Source: Health Castle)

Why does tea carry so many colors… The more processed the leaves are, the darker they will turn … Here’s the different kind of teas.

• White Tea – boost immunity and prevent dental plaque
• Black Tea – 10 times more anti-oxidant than fruits & vegetables. Good for lowering blood sugar after a meal.
• Green Tea – Choose the Japanese one, increase metabolism rate, study show that drink five cups a day lower risk of death from heart diseases
• Oolong Tea – Has more anti-oxidant power than Black Tea
• Herbal Tea – caffeine free, Rooibos Tea has high anti-oxidant (My favorite peppermint tea falls here)

(Source: SHAPE Magazine November 2009)

Benefits of my favorite tea

Peppermint is consumed after meals as the oils stimulate the flow of bile to the stomach and helps relieve gas pains. Additionally, it has been reported and written that peppermint sweetens the breath and calms the digestive system, plus it helps heartburn, stomach ache and nausea.