5 Health Benefits of Tea

Tea lovers rejoice! You may be improving your health and wellbeing with each sip. Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant which you’ve probably consumed in the form of white tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, or pu-erh (or pu’er) tea. Some herbal teas (also referred to as tisanes) have health benefits too, but that’s a subject for another time.

Simply put, tea contains flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants. These flavonoids are responsible for most of tea’s health benefits. They help the body’s cells fend off the toxicity of free radicals — rogue atoms that cause disease and aging.

The less the tea leaves are exposed to air and humidity — a process known as oxidization —  the more antioxidants they will contain. So, white and green teas have a higher flavonoid count than oolong or black teas which ferment for longer

Theanine is another beneficial tea ingredient. It is an amino acid that can reduce stress and, in combination with caffeine, can enhance mental alertness.

So here are the five possible health benefits of tea:

1. Fights Cancer

While studies are inconclusive on this claim, tea does contain an abundance of antioxidants that are believed to impede certain kinds of cancers. We tea drinkers will drink tea regardless, so we might as well hope for the best.

2. Prevents cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke)

Catechins, the type of flavonoids found in tea, may prevent clogged arteries, and studies have shown a relationship between tea consumption and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

These benefits to the circulatory system may help tea drinkers stave off heart attacks and stroke. White and green teas have higher flavonoid content, but oolong and black teas drinkers should still reap the returns.

3. Prevents Alzheimer’s disease

The same catechins in tea that help the cardiovascular system may have neuroprotective properties too. Research published in 2018 shows a connection between tea consumption and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Assists with weight loss

I’ve seen green tea products marketed as weight loss aids before but never understood the reason why. It’s those catechins again. They are thought to aid the body’s metabolism in breaking down fats. The catechins together with the caffeine (which increases energy consumption and burns calories) help people lose weight.

Don’t get too carried away with this one. Miraculous weight shedding from tea alone is unlikely. Instead, treat it as a supplement to a healthy diet and exercise regimen.

5. Reduces Stress

This one I can vouch for based on anecdotal evidence. Taking time out from my busy schedule to enjoy a cuppa has a relaxing, meditative effect. But what does science have to say about it?

Studies have linked the consumption of both green and black teas to lower stress levels in participants. Theanine —  an amino acid in tea —  elevates brain chemicals that promote calm and reduces brain chemicals that produce anxiety and stress. An added bonus, theanine enhances alpha brain waves which promote focus and creativity.

Four ways to get the most health benefits from tea

1. Easy on the milk

Adding milk to tea can prevent the body from absorbing its healthful nutrients. This is a tough one for me as I love English tea and I’m trying to go vegan, so I try to limit milk to one cup per day.

2. Watch the sugar

You know sugar is bad for you, don’t you?

3. Pass on decaffeinated tea

The decaffeination process can remove many of teas nutrients. It might be better to find some healthful herbal tea substitutes.

4. Limit consumption

Too much of anything is bad. Try not to exceed 2-3 cups of tea per day, depending on how your body handles caffeine.

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For more information, please visit the following sources I used in writing this post:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits#1

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-tea

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/upshot/what-the-evidence-tells-us-about-tea.html

https://www.consumerreports.org/food/the-health-benefits-of-tea/

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/should-you-be-adding-milk-in-your-tea-1783418

https://www.webmd.com/diet/tea-and-weight-loss#1

https://www.healthline.com/health/l-theanine

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986534/

http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17%20Suppl%201/167.pdf