Different Types of Tea and their benefits
Tea is the most favorite beverage of Indians. However, tea was not founded in India. The origin of tea is dated back to 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung accidentally discovered tea. He was sitting beneath a tree with a cup of boiled water to drink when some leaves fell into the cup. Shen Nung was a renowned herbalist, he decided to try this infusion that was accidentally created and thus came tea into our lives.
So, tea has been around for centuries and there are three types of teas apart from herbal teas.
In this article, we will see these different types of tea and their health benefits.
Green Tea
Green Tea is said to be one of the healthiest beverages. It is filled with antioxidants that improve brain function, induce fat loss, protect against cancer, lower the risk of heart diseases, etc.
- Green tea contains caffeine that increases the firing of neurons and concentration of dopamine and norepinephrine which are neurotransmitters by blocking inhibitory neurotransmitters called adenosine.
- Green tea is also rich in polyphenols that reduce inflammation and fight cancer. It contains EGCG ( epigallocatechin-3-gallate) which is a natural antioxidant that prevents cell damage.
- Green tea is also proven to burn fat and increase metabolism. A reason can be the caffeine that improves physical performance by mobilizing fatty acids from fat tissue and making them available for energy use.
- Studies show that green tea can help improve insulin sensitivity in the body and reduces blood sugar levels. It also improves total cholesterol levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
Black Tea
Black tea is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide. It comes from the plant Camellia sinensis and has a very strong flavor.
- Black tea has antioxidants like Polyphenols, Catechins, Theaflavins, and Thearubigin that can help remove free radicals and decrease cell damage which can ultimately decrease the risk of chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s, asthma, cancer, diabetes, etc.
- Black tea is rich in another group of antioxidants called flavonoids that benefit the heart. Consuming them regularly can help reduce risk factors for heart disease like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated triglycerides level, and obesity.
- The polyphenols present in the black tea helps in maintaining a healthy gut by inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria like salmonella and promoting the growth of good bacteria like bifidobacteria.
- Studies show that individuals who consume black tea have a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Black tea can also help you manage your stress.
- Black tea also enhances insulin use in the body and helps control blood sugar levels that can cause type 2 diabetes resulting in other health complications such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, depression, etc.
- And apart from all of these health benefits, black tea is also very easy and simple to make. You just have to boil water, add the bag to a mug and pour hot water and enjoy.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea that is also made from the Camellia sinensis plant leaves, the same plant which is used to make both black and green tea. The difference in flavors of the tea comes from the different way it’s processed.
- The polyphenol antioxidant is found in oolong tea too which helps control insulin levels and reduce blood sugar. Regular consumption of these antioxidants may also help in improving heart health. It helps reduce cholesterol levels which is one of the main reasons for heart problems. These antioxidants activate enzymes that can help you use stored fat for energy consumption. And because of this, the metabolic activities are increased and fat is burned resulting in weight loss.
- Apart from the antioxidants, oolong tea contains caffeine that can increase your focus by increasing brain function. Caffeine increases the release of norepinephrine and dopamine hormones that are neurotransmitters and benefit mood, attention, and brain function.
- The antioxidants present in the tea are believed by scientists to stop cell mutation that can lead to cancer. Reports show that it has protective effects on the lungs, esophageal, pancreatic, liver, and colorectal cancers.
- A study shows that postmenopausal women who drank oolong tea regularly had higher bone densities compared to non-tea drinkers. Research also links tea to reduced dental plaque. Oolong tea is a rich source of fluoride that can help strengthen tooth enamel.
After reading all of the health benefits of these teas, you should keep in mind that they have similar effects and benefits because they are made from the same plant, the only difference can be in their tastes and amount of effectiveness. But more or less they have the same impact.
