Orange Pekoe
Orange pekoe tea is a type of black tea which has numerous beneficial advantages for the health. It provides a strong flavor and is noted by science to contain nutrients that are good for the body. Originally from China, this tea is primarily found in Sri Lanka and India, where the soil conditions are ideal for the plantation crop. The is often a misinterpretation that orange pekoe tea is flavored in some way, this however is incorrect, it is simply the name of the tea which comes from the copper color when harvested before oxidation.
Benefits of Orange Pekoe
1. Antioxidant Properties
Although green tea generally gets more attention for its health benefits, Czech researcher Martina Bancirova’s comparison of the antioxidant properties of 30 tea samples doesn’t support the bias toward green tea, at least in terms of antioxidant capacity. In an article in the June 2010 issue of “Food Research International,” Bancirova reported on her analysis of these teas, which included several sub-grades of orange pekoe tea. Weighing the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, or TEAC, averages of 15 green -- unfermented -- teas against the TEAC averages of 15 black -- fermented -- teas, Bancirova found that they were identical.
2. Cardiovascular Benefits
Endothelial dysfunction, a systemic condition in which the endothelium, or the inner lining of blood vessels, functions abnormally, is widely implicated as a causative factor in coronary artery disease. A team of U.S. researchers conducted a study to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of black tea consumption on this cardiovascular condition. Researchers divided a study group of 66 patients with proven coronary artery disease into two groups, one of which received black tea and a control group that was given a like amount of water. Short-term effects were evaluated two hours after consumption of roughly 15 ounces of tea or water, while long-term effects were measured after four weeks of daily consumption of about 30 ounces of tea or water. Researchers found black tea consumption reversed endothelial dysfunction in the 50 study subjects who completed the study. Results were published in a 2001 issue of the American Heart Association's publication, “Circulation.”
3. Synergism With Antibiotics
Based on earlier findings that indicated tea leaves had significant antimicrobial properties, a team of Indian researchers conducted in-vitro testing to see how black and green tea extracts worked in concert with antibiotic drugs against pathogens associated with intestinal infections. Black tea extracts include orange pekoe and other grades of fermented tea. In an article in the July 2005 issue of the “Indian Journal of Medical Research,” researchers reported that both green and black tea extracts exhibited synergistic effects when used with popular antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, gentamycin and methicillin. The tea-drug combinations were tested against E. coli, Shigella dysenteriae and multiple strains of Salmonella.
How to Prepare
1. Heat water till it boils.
2. Take 4 to 5 Orange Pekoe Leaves.
3. Turn off the stove and put the leaves inside.
4. Leave the Mixture for not more than 3 minutes.
5. Strain the Tea and Add Honey or Lemon for taste.
6. Enjoy your Hot Cup of Black Tea.