What’s not to love about tea? Aside from its pleasant aroma and distinct taste, tea also imparts beneficial effects to the body. So prepare those saucer cups, let the tea seep in, and get chugging!
On par with coffee with regards to popularity and regarded in Asian countries for centuries as a key to good health, long life, and happiness, tea has taken the Western world by storm because of its numerous health benefits.
As a matter of fact, according to the Tea Association of the United States, about half of Americans consume tea on any given day. Westerners prefer ready to drink iced tea or loose iced tea boiled in cast iron pots the most.
But before loading your grocery bag with tea, make sure that your choice of tea is a genuine tea. Pure tea is derived from a particular plant (Camellia sinensis) and includes only four varieties: green, black, white, and oolong. Anything else (like herbal “tea”) is an infusion of a different plant and isn’t technically tea.
General Health Benefits of Tea
Tea’s health properties are attributed to the polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) and phytochemicals present in the plant. Below are some convincing reasons that will persuade you to seep a bag now.
- Frequent consumption of tea could help reduce the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular complications, cancer (breast, colon, skin, lung, intestine, etc.), diabetes, and degenerative diseases because of its high antioxidant content.
- Tea’s antioxidants help the body neutralize harmful free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to the cells, proteins, and DNA, inducing the onset of various diseases (cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc.) and premature skin aging.
- Tea can boost exercise endurance. Researchers have found that catechins (antioxidants) in green tea extract increase the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel, resulting in an improved muscle endurance.
- Tea could aid in weight loss, especially when paired with a proper diet and exercise. Two compounds work together to help keep waist circumference at bay – catechins and caffeine. The catechins in tea boost metabolism, leading to a quicker breakdown of fats. Also, its caffeine component increases energy use, causing your body to burn more calories.
- Regular tea consumption is also proven to counteract some of the negative effects of smoking and lessen the risk of lung cancer (great news, but not a justification for continuing your vices!)
- Tea can also help the body recover from radiation. A clinical study showed that tea helps relieve cellular degeneration upon exposure to radiation.
Tea Options for Weight Loss
Green tea, a potent metabolism booster, utilizes the power of catechins to blast the release of fat from fat cells. In fact, active men and women who drink 4-5 green tea cups per day sweats more and drops an average of two pounds per month for every 25-minute exercise session per day compared to non-tea drinkers.
In like manner, the fragrant oolong tea encourages lipid metabolism through the action of catechins. To prove its potency, a Chinese medical journal discovered that participants who regularly indulge in oolong tea lost an average of six pounds in as little as six weeks — that’s a whopping pound a week!
Can’t control your cravings? Drink peppermint tea! Interestingly, peppermint tea curbs the appetite, allowing one to lose up to 5 pounds in a period of four weeks.
Lastly, we have the queen of antioxidants – white tea. The queen has thrice the number of polyphenols and antioxidants as green tea. This terrific fat burner simultaneously boosts the breakdown and formation of fat cells – Talk about hitting two birds with one stone!
Tea Options for Cancer Prevention
White tea is extracted from the same plant as green and black teas, Camellia Sinensis or Acete de manzanilla (camellia oil). White tea is made from very young Camellia plants and undergoes very minimal processing, which is almost always limited to drying as compared to oxidized black teas.
Due to this attribute, polyphenols and other naturally-occurring nutrients in the tea are intact. This may explain why scientists have discovered anti-cancer benefits in white tea – the tea increased a cell type that kills cancer cells. To maximize its effect, drink three cups of white tea a day.
Green tea, also high in polyphenols and has anti-inflammatory properties, has also been proven to lessen the risk of cancer. This amazing tea can help prevent and slow the growth of cancer cells.
Beauty-Boosting Tea Options
Chamomile tea seemed to be the most popular tea for beautifying the skin. First off, it promotes sleep and relaxation, allowing you to wake up to a glowing, beautiful skin. Also, you can apply chamomile tea bags directly on the skin to resolve certain skin issues.
For instance, putting some chamomile tea bags on the eyes can calm puffiness, reduce dark circles, and rejuvenate tired eyes. Furthermore, it has soothing and sun-blocking properties that can shield the skin from harmful UV rays, as well as relieve redness and irritation.
If you’re in search for the fountain of youth, look no further than Jasmine tea. The fragrant Jasmine tea actually possesses antiviral and antibacterial agents necessary for strengthening the immune system. It can delay skin aging and treat common skin disorders such as eczema, excess sebum production, and acne.
Likewise, green tea can postpone the unsightly effects of aging through the action of sun-fighting agents. Green tea’s free radical-fighting catechins are shown to diminish skin damage and prevent wrinkle formation. These catechins can also hydrate dry skin and stimulate the growth of new, healthy cells.
Having both black and green tea properties, the distinctive oolong tea is full of health and beauty benefits. By nature, it can even out skin pigmentation, reduce dark spots, shield the skin from the sun, and counteract smoking damages in the skin.
There you have it, the types of tea that are best for your health. You better start incorporating tea in your daily diet from now on to experience its immense benefits. Happy seeping!
Author bio:
Maria Hayes, I am a 27 yr. old self-proclaimed food enthusiast with a penchant for cooking (and eating) virtually all forms and shapes of food. My inner foodie led to the creation of Mamatestataqueria.com. This blog chronicles my food adventures, original recipes, and reviews of awesome cookwares and similar products. I aim to provide answers to food-related questions and inspire readers to channel their inner chefs.
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awesome! i will definitely try this!! thanks for sharing!
I’m in love with Chamomile tea, and it’s taste 🙂
Thanks for sharing this detailed info post. In fact, I have personally felt the difference between tea and coffee. As mentioned, other than the aroma and flavor, tea is a great way to keep oneself refreshed; just a single cup of tea in the morning is enough to keep me motivated for the entire day. Similarly, a cup of tea in the evening is enough to drain the entire stress of the day.
You are welcome, Bella.
Nice blog post and thanks for explaining about different types of teas and how they help to improve our health. After reading this, I’ll definitely start drinking green tea.
Ah, nice! I’ve found white teas after reading your article. I also have a question on caffeine content of white tea, if you can write some article on it in near future. Thanks
It’s interesting to know that drinking tea can reduce a person’s risk of having heart attacks. We have this condition in our family and I want to learn more about natural remedies that we could do aside from relying on medicine and treatments. Since most of our relatives might also have this condition, going to herbalism school doesn’t seem like a bad idea for me.