National Hot Tea Month

January is National Hot Tea Month and most of us have already contemplated or made resolutions of one sort or another. A press release circulated by the Tea Association of the USA dated 1/1/09 states that January is also the height of cold and flu season and that tea just may be a natural deterrent.

The CDC estimates that over 200,000 people will be affected by colds and flu this season. While a flu shot is highly recommended another natural preventative may be found in your tea cup.

According to a recent study conducted by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University theanine, a natural component found in tea, may help to support and strengthen the body's immune system important to avoiding the sniffles or worse.

Even with an annual flu vaccination, healthy adults are 30% less likely to contract the infection. Tea is not a sterile bubble against colds and flu but can certainly aid to increase the strength of your immune system helping to keep you healthy and feeling great.

Besides great taste, tons of variety and the simplicity of specialty tea, this list of potential benefits is even more reason for adding tea to our diets;