GUWAHATI, May 21 - A book titled Tea: A Wonder Drink for Health and Wellness was released today by the Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary during an interactive meeting with tea industry and Tea Board here on the occasion the first International Tea Day.
The book is authored by Dr Pradip Baruah, Chief Advisory Officer of the Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI), who has been associated with the tea industry for the last 28 years, and has been published by Tea Vision, an NGO working for the wellbeing of the industry.
Releasing the book, Patowary said, �As informed by the author, this book could well be the first such compilation of various research findings worldwide on the health benefits of drinking tea. Each finding mentioned in this book is backed by related reference of the research carried out in that area. It creates awareness as to how drinking tea provides beneficial properties against various ailments. This should also increase consumption of tea.�
�There is a reference in the book that the world�s fastest marathon runner, from Kenya, consumes tea in large quantities. I highly appreciate Bidyananda Barkakoty and the entire team of Tea Vision along with the author Dr Pradip Baruah for publishing such an important book on tea and health,� the minister said in his speech.
Speaking on the occasion, Bidyananda Barkakoty, president of Tea Vision, said the book is a review of the scientific papers on the chemical constituents, medicinal, therapeutic, wellness and nutritional values of tea, highlighting research findings across the world including some popular beliefs. The book is aimed at informing the readers about the enormous benefits of drinking tea for health and wellness, he added.
In his speech, the author said that the medicinal and nutritional properties in tea give a boost to immunity, promote healthy life and reduce mortality. While drinking tea for its taste and enjoyment, people also intake many medicinal and therapeutic compounds in it which are beneficial to human body. A total of 30 health beneficial properties of drinking tea have been found as indicated by scientific studies carried out across the world.
�These are all indicated in various scientific researches being carried out across the world, although further clinching proof on human trials is necessary on these aspects. The other topics covered in the book on tea and meditation, tea and aromatherapy, tea and detox, tea gastronomy, health benefits of different types of tea and tea seed oil, etc, should be of immense interest to the tea drinkers, researchers, common readers and tea industry as a whole around the world,� he added.
Writer Arup Kumar Dutta has written the foreword in the book that has been prefaced by messages from Dr Kanwar Narain, Director, ICMR�Regional Medical Research Centre, NE Region, Dibrugarh, and by Dr Satyajit Borah, vice president, Indian Medical Association, Assam branch.
Dr KK Dwivedi, Commissioner and Secretary, Industries and Commerce; Sanjio Kumar, Executive Director, Tea Board; Ramenlal Baishya, Assistant Director, Tea Board; and Harsh Sutodiya, Executive Committee Member, Tea Vision, were also present on the occasion.