Spice up your health with Organic Teas

One of the most invigorating beverages invented by man, tea has been widely regarded throughout the ages as the key to good health and well-being. Compelling research has proven time and again the myriad health benefits of consuming organically grown tea. The medicinal properties of tea stem from its high content of Flavonoids – an antioxidant that contains anti-cancer properties. Flavonoids boost the immune system and prevent the damage caused by excess free radicals in the body. As tea leaves have a high content of Flavonoids, comprising of 15% of the leaf, daily consumption of three to four cups of the beverage has been known to avert various types of cancer and slower the ageing process. In this article, we shall discuss the individual health benefits of different organic teas.

White Tea – White tea is one of the most obscure types of tea due to its method of cultivation. White tea is made from the fledgling leaves that are picked before the buds have ripened. Organically grown white tea undergoes a very minimal amount of processing and hence has a high concentrate of beneficial nutrients. White tea has curative as well as protective properties and builds the body’s immune system by shielding it against bacterial and viral infections. Since organic white tea is uncured, it retains a high content of Flavonoids which inhibit the formation of cancer cells in the body. Organic white tea is also known for its dental properties and prevents tooth decay and the formation of cavities.

Green Tea – A staple beverage of Asia, green tea is known for its high concentration of EGCG. The high content of antioxidants in green tea prevents the accumulation of toxins in the body. In addition to its antioxidant content, green tea has been found to avert cancer by neutralizing cancer causing free radicals with polyphenols. Studies indicate that consuming organically grown green tea prevents a variety of cancers including breast, colon, lung,
. Green tea increases HDL (good cholesterol) levels in the body and is known to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the body. The regulation of pressure and cholesterol levels in turn significantly reduces the instances of heart diseases and greatly enhances the body’s stress tolerance levels. Green tea is also known to promote weight loss as it initiates the burning up of fat in the body.

Black tea – Black tea is made out of fermented tea leaves and has high caffeine content. Organic black tea, which has a higher concentrate of essential nutrients, is extremely beneficial for smokers as it reverses the damage caused by cigarette smoke in the lungs. Black tea facilitates the increased flow of blood to the heart by relaxing and expanding the arteries. This significantly reduces the risk of strokes and heart diseases. The high content of antioxidants reverse the damage caused by free radicals and prevent the onset of cancer. Additionally, black tea increases your body’s immunity to the flu virus and prevents the build up of dental cavities.

Chamomile tea – The medicinal properties of chamomile tea have been known since the time of the ancient Egyptians, who used it as an antidote for various illnesses. The high content of antioxidants in chamomile tea prevents the onset of debilitating diseases such as diabetes. Flavonoids that are present in large amounts in chamomile tea eliminate cancer cells in the body and avert several complications including nerve and kidney damage. Chamomile tea has also been found to enhance vision and alleviate heartburn, eczema, diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome. The mild sedative properties contained in chamomile stimulate the digestive system and can be used as an effective cure for gastrointestinal ailments.

Peppermint tea – Peppermint tea has been found to have a soothing effect on the digestive system. Apart from being an appetite stimulant, peppermint tea is an effective cure for flatulence and other gastrointestinal disorders as it regulates the even flow of bile and digestive juices in the body. Organic peppermint tea is ideal for pregnant women as it relieves feelings of nausea and dizziness that arise during labor. Peppermint tea offers an effective cure for respiratory ailments including colds, influenza and fever.

Echinacea – Echinacea is an extremely beneficial herbal tea that strengthens the body’s immune system. The high content of Flavonoids helps in combating cancer and stabilizes the white blood cells in terminally ill patients. In addition to its anti-cancer properties, Echinacea is an effective cure for skin inflammatory diseases such as eczema, herpes, and abscesses and is used in the treatment of burns and wounds in the body.

Organic tea is healthier for consumption as it is free of harmful chemicals and pesticides and has a higher content of vital nutrients that are so essential for the body. Three to four cups of organic tea a day can work wonders for your health and invigorate your body and mind. So, the next time you are tempted to drink a soda, opt for a warm cup of healthy organic tea instead.

Organic Facts about milk

The Reality about Milk

While the consumption of milk has a global importance to many people, there are many ethical and moral questions to be answered when it comes to the purity of the milk that we consume every day. The milk that we consume in reality go through a lot of processing which makes it detrimental to the health rather than providing any benefits. This piece will explore some of the reasons, related both to health and ethics, which will show us reality of milk.

The Milk introduces many antibiotics and growth hormones in our blood!

The problem with the milk comes its source itself, the cows. Dairy cows are fed high-protein, soy-based feed instead natural green grass. This forces there pituitary glands to enlarge abnormally enabling them to produce milk in large quantities. Although increased milk production is good for humans , but this makes the cows weak and diseased. When these poor animal are diseased they are injected with varieties of antibiotics that invariably ends up in the milk. These antibiotics are commonly found in the finished product that many of us consume on a very regular basis. No wonder many antibiotics that we consume render ineffective to cure our diseases.

Pasteurization destroys good pathogens and bacteria

Pasteurization process involves heating the raw product to high temperatures in order to destroy the native pathogens and bacteria of cow’s milk. But unfortunately, this process also destroys the natural enzymes found in the milk, enzymes that the human body requires to properly break it down when it is consumed. This causes the pancreas to gradually lose its power to breakdown the milk.

Homogenization breaks down milk enzymes

The butterfat found naturally in cow’s milk is forced through a commercial process called homogenization. This process forces the butterfat to be stripped of from milk to form curd or yogurt. The final milk is termed as “low fat” milk or just marketed as milk. Also it is called skim milk, a product marketed to us as a health food; what is ironic is that the removal of the butterfat keeps the human body from properly digesting the milk, leaving behind the many vitamins, minerals and short chain fatty acids that are naturally found in milk.

Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)

Bovine Growth Hormones are used by dairy farmers for increased milk production. So how does BGH affect humans? rBGH is similar, although not identical, to a hormone that the cow naturally produces. Increase in the levels of this hormone boosts milk production, causing a lot of toxins with the milk, among them, raising levels of pus, antibiotics residues and a cancer-accelerating hormone called IGF-1.This insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1) gets in the milk of commercial dairy cows, forcing the people to consume the finished product. IGF-1 has been found to promote the transformation of human breast cells to cancerous forms among other negative health effects.
Though all the points have evoked a widespread apathy towards consuming milk and the has created self-professed pundits of vegan way of living where they completely abstain from natural organic milk. We could well explore the benefits of real milk which is devoid of all these synthetic processes and reap the multitude of benefits of natural organic milk which will force us to conclude that it is the ultimate food for human beings.

How milk lost its whiteness to adulterers in Haryana

A seat of white revolution where milk even flowed out of folk songs has now attained the image, synonymous with adulteration. About thirty percent samples have failed in the tests as unscrupulous vendors are resorting to adulteration to the level of adding detergents and urea to milk.

ONCE UPON a time, Haryana was known as land of milk and curd. Its Murrah buffalo was known all over the world for quality and quantity of milk. Milk and curd were available in plenty and there was no question of adulteration. But now the situation has changed. According to official sources about thirty percent milk samples had failed during the tests in the state. Besides, twelve percent samples of other foodstuffs had also failed during tests in the state.

With decline of cows and buffaloes and increase in demand of milk, unscrupulous milk vendors are resorting to adulteration. Adulteration by water can be tolerated to some extent but shockingly toxic chemicals like detergents are even added to milk. A recent study conducted by Food Safety Standards Authority of India across the country has come with startling revelations that milk was adulterated with detergents, fat and even urea. Use of detergents in milk can create serious health problems for the user.

Union Health Ministry is planning to introduce E.Coli test as a mandatory for milk producers to detect harmful bacteria. Union Health Minister, Gulam Nabi Azad has asked state governments to increase their surveillance on food items and stop the menace of food adulteration seriously. Inspections should be increased to check presence of harmful chemicals, especially in milk. Worried over the trend the authorities have started a crackdown to check adulteration of milk and other food items in the state.
Haryana State Drug Controller cum Joint Commissioner, Food and Drug administration, Dr. G L Singal has given stern warning to dealers of milk and milk products, asking them not to play with the health of the people for their petty benefits.Dr. Singal said that adulteration in the foodstuffs was a serious crime. Giving a stern warning to the dealers of milk and milk products, he said that they should not play with the health of the people for their petty benefits. Milk and milk products were largely found adulterated in the state. They should not use colours other than ISI mark colours in sweets. The Dhaba owners should not add colours to the vegetables. Strict actions would be taken against those found violating these instructions. Sale of open chili and turmeric powder and other spices had been banned under new Food Safety Standard Act. Refined oils could also be sold only in packing.

It was mandatory to print manufacturing date, expiry date, quantity and name of manufacturer of the product on the box. If any shopkeeper was found selling open products and sample was taken of the products, the responsibility of the failure would be of the shopkeeper concerned and in case of packed products, the responsibility would be of the manufacturing firm, he added.