Tea. What’s not to love?
Tea is a delicious beverage that can cool you down in the hot summer months and warm you up in the winter.
But did you know that many types of tea also have great health benefits? Let’s have a look at what goes into creating different types of tea and how different varieties of tea can help improve your health and quench your thirst at the same time.
What Makes Different Types of Tea?
Many different types of tea, such as white tea, green tea, yellow tea, black tea, oolong tea and pu-erh tea, all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis.
The type of tea produced from this plant depends entirely on the way the leaves are processed after harvesting. Different processing methods give tea leaves from the same plant their own distinct color and flavor.
Related: Is Tea Better For You Than Coffee?
For example, green tea is made by plucking the leaves when they partially withered and heating them almost immediately to about 200 degrees Celsius to prevent fermentation. The leaves are then rolled and shaped before being reheated.
Black tea undergoes a different process; the leaves are withered and rolled before being heated at all.
For centuries, people have been brewing various concoctions of tea for both flavor and healing purposes, and you don’t need a scientist to tell you that a cup of hot tea can make you feel better when you’ve got a cold or sore throat. So it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that research has demonstrated the health benefits of many different kinds of tea.
Herbal Teas are not even tea, in the traditional sense, at all. Green tea, black tea and oolong tea are all brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and are considered “real” teas. Conversely, herbal teas are made from dried, flowers, dried fruits, spices and/or herbs. Herbal teas are great alternatives to surgary drinks due to their sweet, floral flavors. Additionally, herbal teas have been used for health-promoting properties for thousands of years.
Here are seven types of tea that can help your body stay well.
Healthy Teas You Should Be Drinking
1. Oolong
Oolong tea activates enzymes that cut down triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood. One study showed that women who consumed oolong tea burned a slightly larger amount of fat than those who drank only water.
Related: 5 Big Benefits Of Drinking Water
Oolong tea is more than just a fat burner, though. It also contains niacin, which helps detoxify the body, and antioxidants that can prevent tooth decay.
2. Black
Black tea is one of the most highly caffeinated varieties of tea, with about 40 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Black tea also contains thearubigins and theaflavins, two types of antioxidants that have been linked to lower cholesterol levels.
Plus, drinking three or more cups of black tea a day can cut your risk of stroke by 21 percent.
3. Green
Green tea is an excellent source of catechins, another type of antioxidant. A subgroup of this compound known as EGCG has been studied for its potential role in preventing cancer and heart disease. One study showed that drinking one cup of green tea per day could decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10 percent.
Related: 11 Ways To Keep Your Heart Healthy
4. White
White tea, with its many proven health benefits, is the ultimate multi-tasker of teas. Much like green tea, white tea contains catechins, which may help fight cancer and cardiovascular disease. Drinking white tea might also reduce the risk of cancer recurrence for breast cancer survivors, according to the American Cancer Society.
5. Chamomile
Chamomile tea is an ancient natural remedy with many health benefits. Research shows that the antioxidants in chamomile tea may help stunt the growth of cancer cells and prevent diabetes side effects such as loss of vision, nerve damage and kidney damage. Unlike the teas mentioned above, chamomile tea is made from the flowers of the chamomile plant.
Related: Health Benefits Of Green Tea That Could Save Your Life
6. Echinacea
Echinacea purpurea is a commonly used natural compound that fights illnesses such as the common cold and other respiratory infections. One study showed that consuming Echinacea in tea or lozenge form over a four-month period helped to prevent infections.
7. Lemon ginger tea
Ginger has an active ingredient called zingiber, and lemon contains the immune-boosting compounds pectin and limonene. This epic duo makes lemon ginger tea an effective weapon against bacterial infections. One study shows that drinking lemon ginger tea can even kill the bacteria linked to salmonella!
Related: Health Benefits of Kombucha
A Warning:
Much like any other natural substance, certain components of tea can have harmful side effects. The FDA warns against consuming teas with any of the following ingredients:
• Comfrey
• Ephedra
• Lobelia
• Willow bark
• Chaparral
• Germander
The Takeaway
What are you waiting for? Ditch the soda and coffee, and try out one of these natural and healthy teas to improve your health and quench your thirst!
Image by dimi
Comments are closed.