FUNCTIONAL TEA CONTAINING BENEFICIAL INGREDIENTS FOR THE HUMAN BODY

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a functional tea containing beneficial ingredients for the human body.

Claims

1. A functional tea comprising: dried tea leaves comprising one or more ingredients selected from dry rooibos, dry lotus leaves, dry chamomile, dry hibiscus, dry lemongrass, and dry stevia; one or more herbal ingredients selected from Puerariae radix, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Cinnamomum japonicum, Lycium chinese, Angelica gigas, Zizyphus jujuba, Paeonia lactiflora, Rehmanniae radix, Schisandra chinensis, longan, Citri reticulatae Pericarpium, Nidium officinale Makino, Astragalus membranaceus, Houttuynia cordata; and one or more fruit ingredients selected from apple, tangerine, lemon, peach, pear, and Schisandra chinensis.

2. The functional tea of claim 1, wherein the herbal ingredients are contained in an amount of 10-20 mass % with respect to the total weight of the functional tea.

3. The functional tea of claim 2, further comprising one or more natural flavors selected from a natural apple flavor, a natural peach flavor, a natural cranberry flavor, a natural plum flavor, a natural tangerine flavor, and a natural cardamon flavor.

4. The functional tea of claim 3, wherein the natural flavors are contained in an amount of 1-3 mass % with respect to the total weight of the raw materials of the functional tea.

5. The functional tea of claim 4, wherein when the functional tea is brewed with water at 90-100° C. for 2-3 minutes, the resultant has a brix of 0.1 to 1 and has a pH in the range of 2.0 to 6.0.

6. A method for preparing a functional tea, comprising: (a) drying a mixture, in which tea leaves, herbal ingredients, fruit ingredients, and natural flavors are mixed, at 30-50° C. for 4-8 hours; (b) roasting the mixed mixture at 100-200° C. for 5-30 minutes; (c) pulverizing the mixture which underwent the step of roasting to a size of 0.1-0.5 cm; and (d) adding grape seeds powder, which is pulverized to a size of 50-100 μm, to the pulverized mixture; and (e) sterilizing the resultant with ultraviolet (UV) rays in the range of 100-700 nm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 is a result of a flavor test result of a functional tea prepared according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and a functional tea prepared by the preparation method of Comparative Example 1. It was confirmed that the flavor feeling felt by consumers decreased sharply as the herbal ingredients exceeded 20 mass % of that of the raw materials of the functional tea.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a result of a flavor test result of a functional tea prepared according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and a functional tea prepared by the preparation method of Comparative Example 2. In the case of a functional tea which did not contain a natural flavor, it was confirmed that the flavor feeling was lower than that of the functional tea containing a natural flavor.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a result of a flavor test result of a functional tea prepared according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and a functional tea prepared by the preparation method of Comparative Example 3. In the case of a functional tea which did not contain a fruit ingredient, it was confirmed that the flavor feeling was lower than that of the functional tea containing a fruit ingredient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Examples of the functional tea according to the present disclosure can be applied in various ways, and they should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but it should be understood to include all of the changes, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

EXAMPLES

[0043] Throughout this specification, “%” used to indicate the concentration of a specific substance is in mass % unless otherwise stated.

Example 1. Preparation of Functional Tea Containing Hibiscus

[0044] 1. Preparation Step

[0045] Raw materials of a functional tea were prepared by mixing 30 mass % of hibiscus leaves, 30 mass % of lemongrass leaves, and 20 mass % of stevia leaves as tea leaves; 15 mass % of Glycyrrhiza uralensis as herbal ingredients; and 2 mass % of dried tangerine, 2 mass % of a natural peach flavor, and 1 mass % of a natural cranberry flavor. In addition, the raw materials of the functional tea were dried at 40° C. for 6 hours. Thereafter, the roasting process was performed and naturally cooled to room temperature to prepare raw materials of a roasting-treated functional tea. In particular, the roasting process was performed at 150° C. for 10 minutes.

[0046] 2. Pulverization Step

[0047] The raw materials of a functional tea were pulverized to a size of 0.2-0.3 cm using a cutter and a grinder. Approximately 90% of the pulverized fine powder generated after the pulverization was removed.

[0048] 3. Mixing and Sterilization

[0049] The raw materials, which underwent the pulverization, and the grape seed powder, which were pulverized into a size of 50-100 μm, were put into a ribbon mixer, and then mixed with the pulverized raw materials. The raw materials were sterilized through UV, etc. installed inside while mixing the raw materials in the ribbon mixer. In particular, the sterilization was performed by adjusting UV rays at nanometer levels.

[0050] 4. Filling Capsules

[0051] After filling the raw materials, which are mixed into the capsules for packaging, using a device for filling capsules, and the capsules containing the raw materials were sealed with a non-woven filter and an aluminum sealing paper.

[0052] 5. Preparation of Functional Tea

[0053] The filled functional tea capsules were brewed in hot water at 90° C. for 3 minutes and thereby a finished functional tea was prepared.

[0054] Measurement of Polyphenol Content

[0055] The total phenolic compound content was measured by applying the Folin-Denies method (Amerinem & Ough 1958). The lyophilized sample was extracted with methanol at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, and 50 μL of 50% Folin-Ciocalten reagent was added to 100 μL of the supernatant and mixed. After allowing the mixture to stand at room temperature for 3 minutes, 150 μL of a 2% Na.sub.2CO.sub.3 solution was added thereto and reacted for 30 minutes. After completion of the reaction, the absorbance was measured at 700 nm using an ELISA microplate reader (Infinite® 200 PRO, TECAN Group Ltd., Switzerland), and the content was obtained from the drafted standard curve. In particular, gallic acid (Sigma-Aldrich, USA) was used as the reference material and the analysis was performed in the same manner as in the sample, and the total phenolic compound content was obtained from the obtained standard curve.

Example 2

[0056] A functional tea was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that chamomile leaves were added instead of hibiscus leaves and lemongrass leaves, and Citri reticulatae Pericarpium was added instead of Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

Comparative Example 1

[0057] A functional tea was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that herbal ingredients were contained in an amount of 30 mass %.

Comparative Example 2

[0058] A functional tea was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that no natural flavor was added.

Comparative Example 3

[0059] A functional tea was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that no fruit ingredient was added.

Experimental Example

[0060] A sensory test for flavor was performed using the functional teas from Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3. The sensory test was performed in the vicinity of Gasan Digital Station in Seoul (Korea). The sensory test was performed by allowing 50 people of various ages passing by in the vicinity of Gasan Digital Complex Station in Seoul (Korea) to taste functional teas. In particular, scores were calculated using a 5-point test for the following items, and the results are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0061] Evaluation Standard

[0062] 1. The taste and the flavor are very poor.

[0063] 2. The taste and the flavor are not good.

[0064] 3. The taste and the flavor are average.

[0065] 4. The taste and the flavor are good.

[0066] 5. The taste and the flavor are very good.

[0067] As a result of the above test, most people, regardless of gender and age, evaluated the functional teas of the present disclosure as having a very good taste and a very good flavor.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0068] According to the present disclosure, a functional tea that can be enjoyed by people of all ages can be provided by using ingredients that generate various flavors and aromas, although the functional tea contains herbal ingredients.

[0069] According to the present disclosure, a functional tea that have beneficial effects for the human body, such as preventing colds, increasing immunity, easing insomnia, lowering blood pressure, skin care, relaxation of nerves, anti-oxidation, lowering blood sugar levels, and preventing aging by containing herbal ingredients, in addition to a waste discharge function (i.e., a detox effect) by using combinations of raw materials of a tea with specific properties, can be provided.

[0070] Although the functional tea containing beneficial ingredients for the human body has been described with reference to the specific embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Therefore, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims.