Wait, so... If I read this right... Tea is primal? page

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I mean not even in the "caffeine is questionable" category?

Granted, this book is not the absolute authority on the subject, but they've done their research and sourced their materials quite well.

From The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss:

"Anthropologists speculate that prehistoric humans (the species Homo Erectus) discovered indigenous tea trees growing wild in the forests of Yunnan. The quest to discover edibles in the environment would have eventually tempted these early inhabitants to chew on the leaves of the tea trees, perhaps stimulated by their own curiosity or from watching the actions of forest-dwelling animals. They would have discovered these leaves to be a source of invigorating energy that might sustain them on their daily rounds of foraging for food.

Once these prehistoric humans learned the skills of fire building, they gained warmth and protection from the elements, and soon they acquired the ability to cook meat and boil water. Surrounded by an abundance of wild-growing tea trees, they felled these trees to use for fuel. Most likely along the way they experimented with adding tea leaves and other forest barks and leaves to boiling water, which was then stewed into various strong, bitter, and invigorating concoctions."

Hmmm... Just more interesting info to consider.

[cori93437]

They're leaves.
Primal in my book...

I mean... don't junkie yourself on the caffeine, but enjoy!
It's pretty healthy stuff.
Wish I could still drink it...
And I'll go right back to drinking it if I ever get off theses meds that make so I shouldn't.
IMO though... premium whole leaf teas.
Seriously... most tea bags are complete shite... floor sweepings and bug poo. LOL

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They're leaves.
Primal in my book...

I mean... don't junkie yourself on the caffeine, but enjoy!
It's pretty healthy stuff.
Wish I could still drink it...
And I'll go right back to drinking it if I ever get off theses meds that make so I shouldn't.
IMO though... premium whole leaf teas.
Seriously... most tea bags are complete shite... floor sweepings and bug poo. LOL

I ONLY drink loose leaf teas. I mean, if anything, that's what grok would have had. Grok wouldn't have had low-grade crushed, teared, and curled tea leaves and dust in chemically bleached bags.

[cori93437]

The other beauty of premium loose leaf teas is brewing them multiple times.
Each brew the flavor changes slightly... and less caffeine for more cups of brew that way.
That's my excuse!

When I can drink teas I'm a bit of an oolong nut.
I'd be really thrilled to get off these meds and get back to brewing and drinking again. *sigh*
Especially with cooler weather approaching!
Maybe by the time the chill arrives in November I will be able to indulge myself a bit.

Healing is slow road... but progress is forward.

A friend of mine in San Fran is buddies with (they grew up together and are still friends) the owners of http://www.teance.com/ ... I get the BEST gifts!

[Drumroll]

The other beauty of premium loose leaf teas is brewing them multiple times.
Each brew the flavor changes slightly... and less caffeine for more cups of brew that way.
That's my excuse!

When I can drink teas I'm a bit of an oolong nut.
I'd be really thrilled to get off these meds and get back to brewing and drinking again. *sigh*
Especially with cooler weather approaching!
Maybe by the time the chill arrives in November I will be able to indulge myself a bit.

Healing is slow road... but progress is forward.

A friend of mine in San Fran is buddies with the owners of www.teance.com ... I get the BEST gifts!

I'm about to go and get a second mug of my sencha as we speak. Rebrewing, what!

And you apparently still get a fair amount of antioxidants from each brewing of the tea anyway, so even if you brew for health reasons there's no reason to toss the leaves.

What medicine are you taking that prevents you from having tea?

[cori93437]

I'm about to go and get a second mug of my sencha as we speak. Rebrewing, what!

And you apparently still get a fair amount of antioxidants from each brewing of the tea anyway, so even if you brew for health reasons there's no reason to toss the leaves.

What medicine are you taking that prevents you from having tea?

I take two medications that both can cause kidney stones... a very high dose of one(though we are trialing a reduction) that is particularly bad... and another that is know to cause them frequently as well. I'd rather not advertise the specific medications.

With the two together it's nearly a guarantee for calcium oxalate stones, so I'm following a low oxalate diet now and using prevention measures until I heal and can reduce the medications or possibly get off of them... at least one of them.

Since tea is very high in oxalates, particularly soluble oxalates, it's off limits for me until I get my dose way lower at least.
But then... I gave up chocolate too.
I'm dedicated to doing all I can to not pass a stone.

[Drumroll]

I take two medications that both can cause kidney stones... a very high dose of one(though we are trialing a reduction) that is particularly bad... and another that is know to cause them frequently as well. I'd rather not advertise the specific medications.

With the two together it's nearly a guarantee for calcium oxalate stones, so I'm following a low oxalate diet now and using prevention measures until I heal and can reduce the medications or possibly get off of them... at least one of them.

Since tea is very high in oxalates, particularly soluble oxalates, it's off limits for me until I get my dose way lower at least.
But then... I gave up chocolate too.
I'm dedicated to doing all I can to not pass a stone.

Ah, yes. I understand.

It's funny though, how the Chinese traditionally have always called tea a "kidney detoxifier" that one might have to avoid it for sake of kidney health. Just goes to show...

[cori93437]

Ah, yes. I understand.

It's funny though, how the Chinese traditionally have always called tea a "kidney detoxifier" that one might have to avoid it for sake of kidney health. Just goes to show...

Oh no... for someone with normal functions it certainly stimulates the kidneys and triggers the body to excrete more urine... thus clean things out.
Personally I think people demonize caffeine a bit much...
Nothing wrong with it in moderation IMO.

I drink some coffee for that, which is low oxalate and fine for me.

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Oh no... for someone with normal functions it certainly stimulates the kidneys and triggers the body to excrete more urine... thus clean things out.
Personally I think people demonize caffeine a bit much...
Nothing wrong with it in moderation IMO.

I drink some coffee for that, which is low oxalate and fine for me.

Ah, yes.

Where does yerba mate fall on the oxalate scale? Might you try that as a tea substitute? Perhaps the unsmoked form?

[cori93437]

Ah, yes.

Where does yerba mate fall on the oxalate scale? Might you try that as a tea substitute? Perhaps the unsmoked form?

Hmm... I just looked it up in my resource.
It's medium oxalate... but quite a bit lower than many teas.
But I've never tried it.

I do have rooibos here to brew for a warm cup of tea substitute as it is nearly oxalate free. No kick of any kind course.
Not sure about the flavor on the Yerba Mate... but I might order some just to give it a try.