Coronavirus & Tea

Can drinking tea help you to fight Corona Virus?

The simple answer is “No.”

However, there is a complex answer as well 🙂

But before we proceed, let’s just take a moment to understand Corona Virus and how it works.

“Corona Virus (Cov) infect variety of organs including the liver, respiratory and enteric tracts and the central nervous system. The resulting disease phenotypes (a phenotype would be any observable characteristic or trait of a disease, such as morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, or behavior, without any implication of a mechanism. A clinical phenotype would be the presentation of a disease in a given individual) comprise a vast spectrum ranging from acute life threatening disease to chronic inapparent infections. Host genetic background and age in addition to the specific virus and root of entry contribute to disease severity. Viral cellular and tissue tropism affects both the quality and quantity of immune response which automatically determine viral control and pathogenesis. (the manner of development of a disease).” (the full report: https://www.asmscience.org/content/book/10.1128/9781555815790.ch22 )

Three immunologists —Timothy Craig, a professor of medicine and pediatrics in allergy and immunology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; Cathryn Nagler, a mucosal immunologist at the University of Chicago and distinguished fellow of the American Association of Immunologists, and John Wherry, director of the Institute of Immunology at Penn Medicine — said there’s no strong evidence that any herb or supplement, including vitamin C, will prevent coronavirus. Like drinking water, taking most of them probably won’t hurt you, but also won’t help. Probiotics also won’t save you. Colloidal silver can be harmful.

So, since our immune system is all we have between us and the ICU as this virus spreads, are there ways we can make it work better?

This is where tea comes in.

A  study conducted in 2003 had found that tea boosts the body’s defenses against infection and contains a substance that might be turned into a drug to protect against disease. Coffee does not have the same effect.

A component in tea was found in laboratory experiments to prime the immune system to attack invading bacteria, viruses and fungi, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A second experiment, using human volunteers, showed that immune system blood cells from tea drinkers responded five times faster to germs than did the blood cells of coffee drinkers.

“We worked out the molecular aspects of this tea component in the test tube and then tested it on a small number of people to see if it actually worked in human beings,” said Dr. Jack F. Bukowski, a researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and Harvard Medical School. The results, he said, gave clear proof that five cups of tea a day sharpened the body’s disease defenses.

In the study, Bukowski and his co-authors isolated from ordinary black tea a substance called L-theanine.

Bukowski said L-theanine is broken down in the liver to ethylamine, a molecule that primes the response of an immune system element called the gamma-delta T cell.

“We know from other studies that these gamma-delta T cells in the blood are the first line of defense against many types of bacteria, viral, fungal and parasitic infections,” he said. “They even have some anti-tumor activity.”

The T cells prompt the secretion of interferon, a key part of the body’s chemical defense against infection, Bukowski said.

“We know from mouse studies that if you boost this part of the immune system it can protect against infection,” he said.

To further test the finding, the researchers had 11 volunteers drink five cups a day of tea, and 10 others drink coffee. Before the test began, they drew blood samples from all 21 test subjects.

After four weeks, they took more blood from the tea drinkers and then exposed that blood to the bacteria called E-coli. Bukowski said the immune cells in the specimens secreted five times more interferon than did blood cells from the same subjects before the weeks of tea drinking. Blood tests and bacteria challenges showed there was no change in the interferon levels of the coffee drinkers, he said.

Bukowski said it may be possible to further isolate and refine L-theanine from tea and use that as a drug to boost the infection defense of the body.

(The health effects of tea have been extensively studied. So far, it has been linked to lower heart disease and cancer risk through the action of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Other studies have linked tea to helping combat osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease, and to relieving some allergy symptoms.)

So, Tea contributes considerably in building your immune system, which in return helps you to fight various diseases better.

What do you think?

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: https://www.pnas.org/content/100/10/6009

The Nilgiri Tea Trail

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware.” Martin Buber.

A part of ancient landscape of Southern India, Nilgiris, which literally means the ‘Blue Mountain’, is known for its spectacular natural beauty, amazing wildlife, indigenous and ethnic people and tea!

Though Ooty, the quintessential Indian honeymoon destination is more widely known, Coonoor that lies just 18 kilometer away, is a quiet picturesque town that has put Nilgiris on the world map for its tea.

Every year more than 3 million tourists visit Ooty from various parts of the world, but not many of them are aware of its local legacy – Tea – and what it can offer to an enthusiastic and adventurous traveller who is willing to explore and experience.

Tea Tourism is a new concept that is slowly taking shape in the Indian hospitality domain. At the moment, tea tourism is confined to private tea estate bungalows which offer accommodation and promise a serene, quiet life for a few days away from the bustles of modern life.

Though this is a part of tea tourism, actual tea tourism is much bigger in concept and more inclusive and experiential. At Nilgiris, for example, one can indulge into all of the following activities or just pick one or two as they like:

Staying in a tea garden bungalow adds to the whole experience of your tea trail. However, if that is not what you want to do you can also opt for an accommodation nearby as per your budget and then plan your tea activities in a way that gives you the best immersive experience.

When at Nilgiris, I prefer to stay at a Tea Estate bungalow or at YWCA which is at Bedford area of Coonoor. Taj Gateway is just few minutes’ walk, and if you are a luxury traveler, then that is what I would suggest.

A typical tea trail can start with the factory walk where you get the first-hand experience of knowing and learning how some of the best Nilgiris teas are made.

The other thing I love to do is to actually have a picnic within a tea garden; you can spend time reading, relaxing, bird or butterfly watching or simply being in the vast expanse of green all around you. Couple of hours there and it truly soothes my tired soul.

Trekking and walking along the small pathways inside the tea garden is also an exciting activity. I also like to go plucking with the women tea pluckers who I always find very welcoming and smiling in spite of their very hard life. Tea plucking gives you a perspective about the life of a tea plucker, while at the same time it puts you right in the middle of so many women workers who are perhaps the only bread earners in their family. Tea industry employs the highest number of women as compared to any industry in the country.

Sunrise and sunsets are something that you can’t afford to miss while in the Blue Mountain. Your morning tea actually tastes better with the rising sun in the horizon. Believe me!

The Niligirs is also home to some very well-known tribes of India. The Badagas, whose village is just a diversion away on the Ooty – Emerald lake route – are the most hospitable and happy people that I have every met! (They are officially the Second most hospitable tribes in the world.) They have a unique dance routine where elders and youngsters come together and dance to the tune of their drum and other indigenous instruments. Join them in their dance – they love it. Half a day at their village is a good investment of your time.

The Nilgiris is part of the Nilgiris Biosphere – so don’t be surprised if you see a herd of bison crossing the tea estate quietly or a family of elephants giving you a welcoming nod when you are riding on the world heritage Blue Mountain Railways. The Blue Mountain Railways came into existence in 1908, so if you are taking a joy ride in it – you are becoming a part of an eventful history for life.

Nilgiris is known for many specialty teas. The orthodox / whole leaf tea is a GI registered, like Darjeeling Tea, Basmati Rice or Rossgulla. There are many notable tea factories all across the Nilgiris, a few of them would be Glendale, Chamraj, Thiashola, Craigmore, Tiger Hill.. Thiashola is the oldest tea garden in the Nilgiris (established in 1854) and comes with a very interesting history – when started the garden and factory were completely manned by Chinese prisoners of the Opium War brought over by the British since they believed all Chinese knew how to grow and make tea!

Korakundah, a part of the Chamraj Tea, is the highest tea estate in the country. It’s situated at an altitude of 7920 feet!

Any factory you visit, don’t forget to experience the Tea Tasting session. A Tea Appreciation session can also be organized if there is enough number of guests. The tea appreciation program also teaches you on how to identify and buy the fine Nilgiri teas and how to brew and steep them.

Nilgiris have an excellent ecosystem of small farmers whose hand-rolled and handcrafted teas are world-famous. Try them!

Nilgiris produce tea throughout the year and its nice mild weather makes it a wonderful perennial destination.

Did you know that chocolate makes one of the best pairing with most teas? Well, no wonder Ooty is famous for its chocolates and chocolate factories.

Teas to try from The Nilgiris:

1. White Tea
2. Green Teas
3. Oolong
4. Black
5. Winter Frost
6. And various other whole-leaf blends

How to reach Coonoor:

Option 1 : Fly into Bangalore International airport and then drive down to Coonoor. This will take about 6 hours.

Option 2: Fly into Coimbatore and Coonoor is just a 2 hours’ drive.  

For Tea Tourism inquiry, please write to itsourcuppatea@gmail.com

Picnic in a Tea Estate