Chai malko your immune system

Dear Chai malko fans and everyone interested to do something to strengthen your immune system especially in these times of the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

First of all we would like to point out that drinking tea (even our super awesome tea ; ) will not prevent any of us from getting the coronavirus. Social distancing and proper personal hygiene will. Nonetheless, the best thing that we can do is to take good care of our mental and physical health which will support our immune system so that whenever we meet a health threat, we can face it to our best abilities and minimize the damage.

 

What does tea have to do with the immune system?

 

In short: the antioxidants in the tea plant in combination with a few other goodies.

 

Here’s what we recommend:

 

Simply prepare yourself a cup or two by overnight cold brew of white or green tea in combination (50/50) with a fresh vitamin C rich juice at least 4-5 days a week.

 

This combination will significantly increase the antioxidants from tea into your bloodstream. And if you do this on a sunny day and catch a bit of sun heat (15-30 mins) then you would have done even more good to your immune system. 

 

For maximum benefit, we recommend that you use fresh Camellia sinensis leaves picked within the last 2 years and natural source of vitamin C (not synthetic) - orange, grapefruit, lemon, etc juice recently picked from your local market. 

 

Read on for more details ; )

 

Plants and their goodies

 

In every culture on the planet traditional medicine has utilized plants: their leaves, stems, flowers, seeds, bark and roots, for their properties to support us in our healing process from infections and diseases. Phytochemicals are a large group of molecular compounds naturally occurring in plants that have evolved through constant interactions with their environment over a very long period of time. They have made it possible for plants to defend against, or if you like to think about it in a different way - to coexist with bacteria, viruses and fungi. 

 

Phytochemicals can be found in many different fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fungi, herbs and spices and in plant-based beverages such as tea, coffee and wine. 

They can be largely grouped into 5 large categories and here are some examples from our daily diet:

1. alkaloids: caffeine (tea, coffee, mate), piperine (black peper), etc
2. sulfur-containing: isothiocyanates (broccoli, cauliflowers, and cabbage), etc
3. terpenoids: thymol (thyme), carvacrol (oregano), eugenol (cloves), trans-cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon), vanillin (vanilla), etc
4. carotenoids approximately 600 identified carotenoids and related compounds responsible for the yellow, orange and red colors of vegetables and fruits
5. polyphenols more than 8000 phenolic structures classified as flavonoids and non-flavonoids including multiple catechins (tea), naringenin (citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and lemons), etc

The era of antibiotic-resistance has made plant extracts an attractive source for new drugs and more than 1000 different phytochemicals have shown interesting antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity against several human pathogens.

 

[reference DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2016.12.003]

 

The good in tea

 

In the Camellia sinensis tea plant among many others, there can be found primarily large amounts of polyphenols - the famous catechin antioxidants, and of course - caffeine (alkaloid). The synergism between the two has been found to have very beneficial properties to human health which deserves an article by itself (not to mention books) to describe our current and expanding knowledge on the topic. Nonetheless, the health properties of tea to human wellbeing are undeniable as most of you tea drinkers can already tell. 

 

What’s special about white and green tea?

During the process of production of these two types of tea, their polyphenols don’t undergo any oxidation. This means that they are in their simplest form and highest concentration and as such have the maximum potential for intestinal absorption and bioavailability in our blood stream.

 

[reference DOI: 10.1039/c7fo00611j]

 

(White tea + Vitamin C) x Vitamin D = very good for our immune system

 

Vitamin C and D need no explanation as to its importance to our immune system and recently, in a comprehensive medical and scientific review, are suggested in the improvement of patients dealing with COVID-19.

 

[reference DOI:10.7759/cureus.7560]

 

In earlier studies, it has been shown that vitamin C can enhance the delivery and bioavailability of catechins in humans.

 

[reference DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.12112] 

 

Preparing white or green tea by cold brew will maximize leaf extraction of antioxidants and minimize extraction of bitter and large tannins into your cup. When mixed with your fresh juice this will allow the potential of vitamin C to enhance the phytochemicals from your cup into your bloodstream. Consumed on an empty stomach (at least 2.5 hrs after any calorie intake), being relaxed (as much as possible) and bathing in the spring sun rays will only enhance this process.

 

Hope you are and remain healthy,

 

Your friends from Chai malko