All About Your Cup of Tea
Tea is a popular drink that originated in China and has spread from Asia to the Middle East and the West. Like what Englishmen do, it may be served as a nice welcome drink, a breakfast chum for jam and bread or sometimes as a celebrated drink for afternoon tea parties.
Tea is prepared simply by steeping leaves of Camellia Sinensis. But what is in it that people are so enthusiastic about? There are many types available in the market but below are the most popular ones. Get to know each one and see why they are healthy.
Black Tea
Black Tea is the most consumed type of tea in the West. The reason they are dark is because of the longer process of drying and fermentation it undergoes. Oolong is another sub-type of black tea that seems to have a stronger aftertaste and is typically served in Chinese restaurants.
Though green tea is believed to have a special antioxidant not found in black tea, studies show that black tea reduced the risk of having coronary heart disease by 50%. Black tea also contains theaflavins and thearubigens, which contribute in lowering bad cholesterols in the body.
Green Tea
Green tea comes from least processed leaves. Because of the minimal oxidation through steaming, green tea retains more of its polyphenol content and other healthful compounds. A cup of green tea is packed with epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG and catechins – which are polyphenolic antioxidants that help eliminate cancer cells and strengthen the immune system against allergies and viruses.
Becoming more popular as a health drink, green tea has less caffeine than black tea. Studies also show that caffeine and some compounds in green tea have a weight loss effect in the body.
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas are normally oxidized tea leaves mixed with dried seeds or leaves of a particular herb. Herbs are believed to have healing properties and are also full of antioxidants, which make tea drinking more pleasurable and healthy. Usually richer in aroma, herbal teas tends to have therapeutic effect to the olfactory nerves and the brain.
Examples of herb tea that you might want to check out are Red Roobois Tea, Earl Grey Tea with bergamot, Jasmine Tea, Ginger Tea, Ginseng Tea among many others.
Health Benefits
Indeed, tea is a healthy drink with so many health benefits such as reverse aging, eliminate allergies, fight cancer cells, prevent rheumatism and arthritis, strengthen immune system, lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.