Q: I read an article on tea which said that: - Anti oxidants and free radicals in it help prevent cancer. - Polyphenols present prevent clot formation and reduce the risk of stroke. - Minimal caffeine content calms and stimulates the mind. - Tea is a good source of manganese, potassium and vitamin C - Fluoride in tea helps keep teeth in good shape and - Tea without milk & sugar has no calories in it, making it a perfect health drink. Please let me know if all the above is true.

A:All the statements that you have read about are absolutely true. Tea has more beneficial effects than any other stimulating drink like coffee, etc. You must, however, keep in mind that one should not exceed a tolerable level of even tea intake which may harm and not heal. Stick to a maximum of 3 cups a day and please do not rely on only tea for your requirements of manganese. I do not quite agree that tea is a good source of Vitamin C. In case you dont get acidity, you could go in for lemon tea - hot or cold. In case you suffer frequently from cold, you could boil tea with tulsi leaves and ginger and add a drop of lemon and 1 tsp honey and take it warm before going to sleep. In case you do have acidity, you could go in for peppermint tea. In case you get less sleep at night, you could choose cammomile tea. Normal tea taken at home as per choice of liquor -light/strong gives all the benefits that you have mentioned.