The Health Benefits of Tea

November 6th, 2024 | Lifestyle

Exploring the Power of Nature’s Brew

Tea is one of the most popular beverages around the world, enjoyed by different cultures across the globe for over thousands of years. Aside from being a tasty and comforting drink, teas can provide a number of health benefits. Let’s review some of our favorite teas and what exactly they can do for your health and wellness.

Green tea

Green tea is somewhat of a superfood thanks to its widespread health benefits. Green tea contains substances called polyphenols, which are antioxidants known to lower one’s risk of cardiovascular disease. The main polyphenol in green tea is catechin, which has been shown to lower one’s risk of cancer. Other research indicates that green tea can also help individuals to manage their blood sugar and prevent tooth decay.

So how much green tea should you drink? As much as you want – but three cups would be great. If you don’t love drinking it as a beverage, you could also get it in the form of a supplement (1).

Black tea

Did you know black tea is the most popular type of tea globally? Black tea also contains polyphenols, but it has one polyphenol that no other tea has: theaflavins. Thus, black tea has some unique advantages over other types of teas. Some of its benefits include:

• Heart health. Black tea can lower your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
• Blood sugar control. Black tea without sweeteners can lower your blood sugar levels.
• Increased focus. Black tea contains caffeine, but roughly half the levels that are in coffee. The L-theanine in black tea provides more stable energy levels versus the typical jitters you get with coffee.
• Lowered cancer risk. Some studies have found that black tea prevents oral and skin cancers (2)

Herbal teas

Herbal teas don’t contain caffeine but contain several other benefits. Some of our favorites include:

• Chamomile. This calming tea can have a protective effect against cancer, while also lowering one’s risk of heart disease, providing immune support, and maintaining anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety effects.
• Ginger. Ginger tea is one of the best natural nausea remedies, while also providing gastrointestinal and metabolic support.
• Hibiscus. Hibiscus tea has been shown to provide cardiovascular and antiviral support thanks to the antioxidant “anthocyanins”. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol (3).

References

1. https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/green-tea-healthy-habit/
2. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/6-health-benefits-of-drinking-black-tea
3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/the-health-benefits-of-3-herbal-teas