Monday, 6 July 2015

Learn About The Benefits Of Mamaki Tea

By Jordan Schmidt


Mamaki is a scared plant to native Hawaiians, who have used its leaves for many generations to promote well being and overall good health. Also known as Waimea, the plant grows as a small tree with leaves between two and twelve inches long, depending on the variety and where it grows on the islands. People outside of Hawaii are now discovering that drinking mamaki tea can provide health benefits.

The centuries-old art of making fabric, known as kapa, is being revived in Hawaii and the wood and sap of the mamaki tree is used in this process. Sap is useful for keeping the fabric moist during processing while the wood is used to make tools that break down the fibers. Hawaiians call these tools kapa beaters. Ancient Hawaiians would make clubs out of the bark.

The plant's berries are helpful for treating wounds. Expectant mothers in Hawaii would begin consuming the plant's seeds and fruit just prior to the second trimester. This was done to prevent them from developing a yeast infection and passing it on to the infant. Young children would consume the fruit to treat oral thrush or cure mild cases of constipation.

The tea brewed from the dried or fresh leaves of the mamaki plant is mild in flavor. Many users believe it has an invigorating effect. Some people consume the leaves to treat certain liver, stomach, intestine, and bladder disorders. The fruit acts as a mild laxative to help with constipation.

Some people prefer drinking the tea cold, while others prefer to prepare it as a hot beverage. For a cold influsion, add fresh water to dried leaves and put the mixture in the refrigerator for 12 to 14 hours. When preparing hot tea, the leaves are steeped for five minutes in boiling water. The mixture is then allowed to sit for an additional 15 minutes away from the heat. Allowing the leaves to steep longer will produce a deeper infusion. The hot tea has a stronger flavor, is darker in color, and a little less sweet than the cold brew.

The beverage produced by these leaves is all natural. It can be consumed by people of all ages and contains no undesirable ingredients such as caffeine, gluten, and cholesterol. Some people enjoy drinking this tea before going to bed while others drink it first thing in the morning or even throughout the day.

Mamaki provides a good dietary source of important antioxidants, including catechin, chlorogenic acid, and rutin. As people age, free radicals build up in the body as a result of oxidation and they begin attacking the cells. Antioxidants inhibit oxidation and help get rid of these free radicals. This maintains the integrity of the cells. Catechins are helpful for the cardiovascular system because they help prevent dangerous blood clots and aid in brachial artery expansion to increase blood flow.

Like other types of tea, mamaki offers overall health benefits beyond reducing the levels of circulating free radicals in the body. The chlorogenic acid found in the leaves can help individuals lose weight by slowing down the absorption of glucose by the circulation system. Individuals are less inclined to overeat because they feel satisfied for longer after eating a meal. Chlorogenic acid also helps speed up the body's metabolism, which burns more calories and decreases the production of fat tissue.




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