Within the Nineties and early 2000s, my household drank iced tea each day. We made it in giant glass pitchers and stored it within the fridge.
We all the time used the identical model, which we purchased from our native pure meals retailer.Β
It tasted good by itself, so we by no means added sugar. I had no motive to imagine it wasnβt wholesome and secure.
Years later, I began studying extra about how tea is grown and processed. I discovered a number of experiences displaying that tea might be contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, and even mildew.
Most of the teas most affected come from nations that also use chemical substances banned within the U.S.
This involved me, so I regarded into the particular tea my household had used for years.
I checked the place it was grown.
I contacted the producer instantly and requested in the event that they examined for pesticides, heavy metals, or mycotoxins. Lengthy story brief, the reply I received wasnβt passable.Β
Tea is without doubt one of the most chemically contaminated crops on the earth.
Some tea-producing nations nonetheless use pesticides like DDT, which was banned within the U.S. in 1972 due to its hyperlinks to most cancers, hormone disruption, and neurological harm.
Tea leaves are driedβnot washedβearlier than packaging. Which means any pesticide residue left on the leaves results in your cup.
Even natural teas might be contaminated if they’re processed alongside standard teas or not examined recurrently.
There aren’t any authorized necessities for tea corporations to check for these substances or to reveal their sourcing.
If an organization doesnβt take a look at, they willβt know whether or not their tea is clear. That was the case with the tea I used to drink. As soon as I noticed that, I finished shopping for it, although it was a staple in our familyβa lot in order that household and associates actually dubbed it βBurhenne Tea.β
In case you suppose that is an argument in opposition to tea, itβs not.
Teaβwhen sourced and examined correctlyβis without doubt one of the greatest day by day habits you’ll be able to undertake to your oral well being and microbiome (hyperlink to the one I drink).
Right now, I drink inexperienced tea that has been examined for toxins and grown in areas with strict agricultural requirements. I solely purchase from manufacturers that present third-party testing for pesticides, heavy metals, and mildew.
Not like most drinks, inexperienced tea helps oral well being relatively than harming it.
Listed below are three causes I like inexperienced tea for selling higher oral well being:
Inexperienced tea helps cut back dangerous oral micro organism
It accommodates catechins, which goal and suppress microbes likeΒ Streptococcus mutansΒ andΒ P. gingivalis.
These micro organism contribute to cavities and gum illness.
βΒ Research: Catechins inhibit oral pathogens
Inexperienced tea helps gum well being
Research present it reduces gum irritation and slows the development of periodontal illness, even when used with standard therapy.
βΒ Research: Inexperienced tea improves periodontal outcomes
Inexperienced tea improves breath with out harming the microbiome
It neutralizes risky sulfur compounds, which trigger dangerous breath, however doesn’t kill helpful micro organism like antiseptic mouthwashes do.
βΒ Research: Inexperienced tea reduces halitosis
Inexperienced tea additionally accommodates no sugar or acid. Which means you’ll be able to drink it all through the day with out feeding dangerous micro organism or eroding your enamel. Examine that to soda, kombucha, or fruit juice!
Now, I solely drink inexperienced tea that’s well-sourced, and examined (hyperlink to the one I drink).
Inexperienced tea is considered one of my favourite issues that I get to suggest as a dentistβas a result of it doesnβt really feel like a burden. Itβs pleasant. It has caffeine! You may drink it scorching or iced. It helps your oral well being with out demanding self-discipline or including one other chore to your day. Not like flossingβwhich, sure, I do know a lot of you’ve gotten come to like (and I like that)βinexperienced tea is straightforward to embrace.
In case youβve been right here some time, you know the way I really feel about mouthwashβit wipes out your oral microbiome and is even proven toΒ triggerΒ hypertension. I donβt suggestΒ anyΒ mouthwash, even the βpureβ ones as a result of they includeΒ important oilsΒ that are disruptive to the oral microbiome.
However when you just like the ritual of mouthwash, I do have aΒ DIY inexperienced tea mouthwashΒ recipe on my web site. Inexperienced tea is the principle ingredientβas a result of thatβs how highly effective it’s to your oral well being.
β Dr. Mark Burhenne
P.S. Have you ever skilled one thing related? Have you ever ever trusted one thing for years and later discovered it wasnβt what you thought? Ship me a reply. Iβd like to listen to about it.
