Not A Medicine

I bought some nice tea the other day, "Pride of Ceylon" tea from the Heladiv company.  "Since 1867."  It's good stuff. 

It's so interesting though to see the different national styles of self-promotion that go along with packaging a product for sale.  In America one is limited to vague value judgments, like "Mmmm good!" or "the best to you each morning!"  Making health claims is not allowed.  That injunction doesn't exist in many counties, including Sri Lanka ("Ceylon") for instance. 

So the Heladiv tea claims on its box:

"Tea is rich in anti-oxidants.  The anti-oxidants protect the body against cancer and cardiovascular diseases.  Tea also assists in lowering cholesterol.  Medical research suggests that tea promotes helthy teeth, skin and bones and also assists in reducing cholesterol.  Tea is not a medicine for ailments, but drinking tea regularly will help maintain good health." 


All for twelve cents a cup!  Not bad for a drink that's not even a medicine.