THE secret to making the perfect cup of tea has long been debated, but according to the latest research from the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia, we should all be using the microwave — especially if we want to make our cups healthier.

    According to Australian news source ABC, the April 2017 study was conducted by Quan Vuong, PhD, a senior lecturer in the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, who specializes in ways to “add value” to natural products. In his study, Dr. Vuong extracted and purified the important components of green and black tea and found that using the method below to fill up his cup activated 80 percent of the caffeine, theanine, and polyphenol and generated the best taste:

    1. Put hot water in the cup with your tea bag.

    2. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds on half power.

    3. Let it sit for a minute.

    Theanine is an essential amino acid that’s said to promote relaxation, and polyphenols, which are also found in dark chocolate, are antioxidants that have been linked to the prevention of degenerative diseases.

    “Microwaving is one of the advanced technologies useful for getting more bioactive compounds from the products,” Vuong says.

    It’s a pity that tea fans may not like this idea. David Tennant’s character microwaving a cup of tea in an episode of British TV show “Broadchurch” last month caused a “tea-mageddon” amongst viewers in the United Kingdom.

    Praying Hardy doesn’t microwave his tea again because I can’t deal with that on top of everything else. #Broadchurch — Alex Ryans (@alexryans) April 3, 2017

    So, fancy a brew?(SD-Agencies)