It’s Tea Time!
Tea is one of my favorite things in the world and I’m
fortunate that it is also one of the healthiest. Tea is great because there is
such a wide variety of flavors and resulting effects. For example: teas that
make you more awake and alert, teas that are relaxing, teas that promote sleep,
etc. There are so many different types of teas and they bear many different
types of health benefits. I’m just going to begin with some basics: green tea,
white tea, and black tea and talk about their individual benefits.
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Green Tea
Green tea is exceptionally high in antioxidants. According
to WebMD, “Green tea’s antioxidants may interfere with the growth of
bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers; prevent
clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain,
reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels." And
there are even more potential benefits. Because of the fat-burning benefits, many
people use green tea to aid weight loss. Studies have also shown that
“catechin”, an antioxidant in green tea, to prevent tooth decay and throat
infections. Lifehack.org states that the catechin in green tea has anti-viral
and anti-bacterial properties that can be used to treat or inhibit anything
from the flu to cancer and other diseases.
White Tea
White tea is also very high in polyphenols or
antioxidants. It is unfermented so it has not been processed and therefore is
more beneficial than fermented teas such as black tea or oolong. According to
subpages.com, it has been reported that white tea can contain over ten times
the antioxidant power of a capsule of vitamin E. White tea can lower
cholesterol, fight cancer, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and
increase bone density. Hubpages.com states that white tea has more anti-viral
and anti-bacterial properties than green tea, as well as higher levels of the
antioxidant catechin. I thought this fact was really interesting because we
often hear of the abundant health benefits of green tea and its high amount of
antioxidants and white tea gets less recognition.
Black Tea
Black tea also has antioxidants, although it does
not contain as many as green or white tea, its antioxidants are potent enough
to improve cardiovascular health, oral health, the immune system and aid in
preventing cancers. Black tea is generally pretty high in caffeine so it is a
good, healthier alternative to coffee. Healthdiaries.com states that, “unlike
high levels of caffeine found in coffee, the low amounts in black tea promote
blood flow in the brain without over stimulating the heart.” The caffeine in
black tea makes you alert and assists mental focus and concentration and the
caffeine in black tea is soothing unlike coffee. Healthdiaries.com notes that,
“black tea has been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol after
a month of drinking four cups of tea daily. The caffeine in black tea might
also give your memory the boost it needs for a few hours and some studies
suggest that a regular tea habit may help protect against Parkinson's disease.”
Overall, it seems as if all three of these teas are quite
favorable to our health, so pick one or even better all three and sip away.
