THE news has been spreading like wild fire. By April next year, tea in India would be a national drink, as recently announced by the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

The brewing hot tea that is consumed in gallons every day in India from a roadside thelawaala to an open air lounge – is getting an official status soon. The desi slurs would be louder with recognition. The brewing would be officially demanding. Tea is going to be a nationally acclaimed desi drink.

The thought of a morning without tea almost never occurs to an average Indian. If it’s coffee for an American, it’s chai for an Indian. It’s probably to do with the earthen colour this unofficial national drink acquires that appeals to Indian senses. Chai cannot be replaced. As for the health quotient, that’s what the blog seeks to inquire. Here’s why tea is healthy too:

Immunity:Tea has the power to boost your immune system. Can you believe it? Quite a few researches have proved this. Who doesn’t want to enjoy a savouring cup of tea especially when it helps to ward off infection?

Antioxidants: Believe it or not, tea has antioxidants that slow down ageing and even the effects of pollution that your body is bearing each day as you step out of the house.

Less caffeine: Here’s the fact of facts. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine while tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. Whenever you have a choice between the two, prefer tea.

An anti-carcinogen: Tea is believed to protect your body from cancer cells too. Tea contains polyphenols which is an antioxidant.

Prevents heart stroke: What causes a heart attack and stroke? Unwanted blood clots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets. And how does tea help? It actually keeps your arteries pretty smooth and clog-free. People who drink two to three cups of black tea every day are healthier heart-wise than those who don’t drink tea at all, a study has revealed.

Fights dehydration: Another very crucial health merit of tea is that it keeps you hydrated. Recent researches have found that tea and other caffeinated beverages definitely contribute to our fluid needs. Of course you should not have more than three cups every day.

Green tea fuels metabolism: Tea bolsters our metabolism rate. Green actually increases metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day.

Lets all support and vote for tea now, it MUST be a national drink now, high time!