Tea has been around for thousands of years. Several myths attempt to explain how tea was discovered. One legend from ancient China explains that some tea leaves accidentally fell into a pot of boiling water. The emperor tasted this flavored water and liked it.

No matter its origins, there are many benefits to adding tea to your diet. Unprocessed tea leaves contain high amounts of naturally occurring flavonoids in them, up to 15 times the amounts found in fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids are a type of antioxidant, which may help protect us from inflammation, premature aging and diseases such as cancer, heart disease and nerve disorders.

Tea has less caffeine than coffee, energy drinks and many caffeinated soft drinks. It typically does not have any calories, fat or sodium.

If you want to incorporate more tea in your diet, you can add flavored tea to recipes. It works best for sweet foods or desserts where boiling water is required. Glazes, sauces and cooked fruit are good examples of when tea can be added to the recipe. Another good time to use flavored tea is when you are making French toast. Allow your favorite tea bag to soak in the milk you use for dipping the bread when making French toast. The tea will add a little flavor and health benefits too.

Green tea has become especially popular. This ancient tea is being tested to find out if its properties may help conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, skin diseases and Alzheimer's disease.