Health Benefits of Drinking Tea

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Drink more tea. When the whole Starbucks craze started, I always felt left out when my girlfriends wanted to meet for coffee because while I love the aroma of fresh brewed coffee, the taste makes me gag and cringe. But then a friend turned me onto hot tea, and things have never been the same since.

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I love hot tea for many reasons. For one, it has turned out to be my herbal Xanax. It calms me when I'm feeling anxious, and comforts me when I'm having a rough day. I'm known for being freezing cold at all times, so I enjoy holding a hot mug while reading a book or people watching. These are all of my emotional reasons for drinking tea, but here are 10 health reasons to make the switch!

1. Tea contains antioxidants that protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.

2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep -- switch to tea.

3. Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear.

4. Tea protects your bones. It's not just the milk added to tea that builds strong bones. One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors.

5. Tea gives you a sweet smile. Tea itself actually contains fluoride and tannins that may keep plaque at bay. So add unsweetened tea drinking to your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing for healthier teeth and gums.

6. Tea bolsters your immune defenses. Drinking tea may help your body's immune system fight off infections.

7. Tea protects against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects.

8. Tea helps keep you hydrated. The only time the caffeine becomes a problem as far as fluid is concerned is when you drink more than five or six cups of a caffeinated beverage at one time.

9. Tea is calorie-free. Tea doesn't have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk. If you're looking for a satisfying, calorie-free beverage, tea is a top choice.

10. Tea increases your metabolism. Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Over a year's time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking green tea. Of course, taking a 15-minute walk every day will also burn calories.

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Clients frequently wonder which tea is better - green, black, or white? To be honest with you, there really isn't enough difference to get overly excited about. All teas generally contain the same amount of flavonoids. Green and black tea come from the same plants, but green tea is dried for a shorter time and doesn't go through a fermenting process used for black tea.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Apple-tizers

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Eat MORE apples. Having an apple before dinner may help you lose weight or maintain your current weight loss.

Fiber has been proven to make us feel fuller, and the average apple has about 5 grams of fiber. Studies in Washington have shown that by taking in this extra fiber before dinner, people end up eating less calories during the meal.

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There are over 7,000 varieties of apples grown in the world, and about 2,500 in the United States. Here is an overview of the most popular ones:

Braeburn apples have a wonderful blend of tart and sweet flavors. They are aromatic, crisp and juicy.

Fuji apples are sweet, mild, crisp and juicy. They are excellent when eaten fresh. They are also fine for cooking and they store well.

Gala apples are sweet, aromatic and have a rich full flavor. They are best used fresh out of hand or in salads. They are just the right size to tuck into a pocket or purse.

Granny Smith apples are tart and crisp. They are excellent for salads and fresh eating. Their tangy flavor comes through when baked and sauteed.

Golden Delicious apples have a rich mellow flavor and a tender skin. They are considered the preferred "all purpose" cooking apple, because they retain their shape and taste rich when baked or cooked. These apples are wonderful for salads and fresh eating. They also are considered the best apple choice for cider.


Red Delicious apples are mild, sweet and juicy. They are America's favorite snacking apple. They are great fresh, in salads, when used as garnishes or in fruit trays.

Rome Beauty apples are primarily a cooking apple. Their flavor enhances with a touch of sugar or honey. They tend to holds their shape well and taste rich when cooked. They are especially a good choice for baked apples.

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My personal fave is by far the Braeburn apple. I don't have one before dinner every day, but I often use it as a snack on my way to the gym. It gives me a good boost of energy before my workout and keeps me from feeling starved when I get home.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Play Hide & Seek With Veggies

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If you don't like vegetables, find MORE unique ways to sneak them in to your diet.

Do you find it easier to scrub the toilet than get all 5 of your recommended servings of veggies throughout the day? If so, you may need to get creative with how you include vegetables along with your normal meals.
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If you know up front that you, or someone in your household, just can't manage to force down plain veggies, steaming up a pot of bitter vegetables like broccoli and throwing it on a plate might not be your best bet. Try these tips instead:

(1) Add lettuce and tomato to all of your burgers and sandwiches.
(2) Ask the pizza place to toss some mushrooms and green peppers onto your Friday night splurge.
(3) Pass up on the occasional muffin, and choose zucchini bread instead.
(4) Substitute a yummy sweet potato for your typical rice or pasta side dish.
(5) Dice or mince some green veggies (spinach, green pepper, broccoli, etc.) into your meat loaf before you run it in the oven. You won't even be able to taste it...I promise!
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For many people, vegetables are an acquired taste. This is why it's important for parents to find creative ways to include veggies in the meals they fix for their kids. A child who is never fed veggies, is very likely to grow into an adult who avoids them at all costs.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

You'll Be Berry Happy

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Eat MORE berries.

According to ADA spokesperson, Lona Sandon, if you only do one thing this summer to improve your diet, you should have a cup of mixed fresh berries -- blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries -- every day. They'll help you load up on antioxidants, which may help prevent damage to tissues and reduce the risks of age-related illnesses. Blueberries and blackberries are especially antioxidant-rich.

A big bonus: Berries are also tops in fiber, which helps keep cholesterol low and may even help prevent some cancers.

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Not too keen on just eating plain berries? Try this tasty recipe from Sensible Nutrition:

Berry Cobbler

Berry Filling:
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 1/2 cups cranberries
1 1/2 cups strawberries, quartered
1 1/2 cups raspberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup instant tapioca pudding mix
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Cobbler Topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons apple juice, frozen concentrate, thawed

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine berries with lemon juice and tapioca. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and a teaspoon of flour. Combine well with a spatula. Turn into a 13" by 9" baking pan.
• For topping, combine remaining sugars, oats, and flour in a small bowl. Add apple juice concentrate and mix with a fork to form a coarse meal. Pat mixture over fruit.
Bake approximately 30 to 40 minutes until bubbly and browned. Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 198 calories; 1 g fat, 3g protein; 46 g carbohydrate; 0 mg cholesterol; 49 mg sodium; 4 g dietary fiber.

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I like berries, but I don’t love berries. Actually, I do love strawberries, but that’s it. I’m not big on other types of berries, but I’ve found myself enjoying them more this summer because it seems like they’ve been especially sweet.

Be sure to support local farmers by getting your berries at your local Farmer's Market!

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.