Tea Health Benefits 101

all you ever wanted know about the health benefits of tea

Benefits - Drink Healthy Tea

  • Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world
  • Tea contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols which inhibit harmful free radicals
  • Tea consumed with no additives contains zero calories
  • Tea is a source of zinc, folic acid, manganese, essential for bone growth and body development, and potassium which is vital for maintaining body fluid levels
  • Tea is a natural source of fluoride needed for healthy, white teeth
  • One cup of tea contains less than half the level of caffeine than coffee (only 50mg of caffeine per 190ml cup) and double the health benefits
  • Tea with milk provides 21% of daily calcium requirement in four cups and contains Vitamin B6, Riboflavin B2 and Thiamin B1
  • Tea has about eight to ten times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables.

A superfood backed with decades of research, tea has been consumed for its health benefits for centuries, Chinese herbalists have long revered the healing properties of tea and even refer to them as healing teas. Some eastern doctors run entire medical practices based solely on the health benefits and health powers contained in a cup of tea. Today, the health benefits are gaining widespread attention in the west, especially in the scientific community that recognizes various health benefits from drinking tea.

Although drastically important, the health benefits of tea aren’t contained solely to the prevention of life threatening and potentially life ending diseases and cancers. The health benefits of drinking tea also give huge advantages to people, especially women, who seek natural ways to stay beautiful. European super-models have long claimed the use of tea not only as a beverage, but also as a mask, for soaking in and as skin creams. These natural beauty techniques help promote healthy, clear skin, a white smile, shiny, healthy hair and a trim waistline.

Tea Health – By Tea Type

Green Tea -  buy healthy green tea

Made from unfermented leaves, green tea contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, which neutralize, reduce and may prevent damage-inducing free radicals.

Green Tea Benefits

Lowers cholesterol
Prevents various forms of cancer cell growth
Reduces Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Prevents diabetes and liver disease
Promotes weight loss

Sources

University of Maryland, Medical Center
Mayo Clinic

Black Tea -  buy healthy black tea

Similar to its sibling green tea, black tea also has powerful health benefits. Black tea’s components of theaflavins and thearubigins mimic the action of insulin in the body. Studies suggest that these developments may eventually treat or delay the onset of age-related diseases.

Black Tea Benefits

Lowers Stress
Reduces risk of ovarian cancer
Reduces risk of Parkinson's disease

Sources

UK Tea & Infusions Association
Science Daily
Medical News Today

White Tea -  buy healthy white tea

White tea is the uncured and unoxidized tea leaf. White tea contains lower levels of caffeine than older leafs. It contains higher levels of catechins than green tea due to its lack of processing.

White Tea Benefits

Fights gum disease

Sources

Science Daily

Oolong Tea -  buy healthy Oolong tea

Commonly referred to as a “vanity tea”, the antioxidant-rich properties of Oolong may help minimize the aging process, prevent sunburn and even skin cancer.

Oolong Tea Benefits

Promotes weight loss
Clears pimples and creates healthy skin
Prevents skin cancer

Sources

United States Department of Agriculture

Rooibos Tea -  buy healthy Rooibos tea

Originating from the Cederburg region in South Africa, Rooibos is also known as “red bush” tea. This herb is caffeine free and has only half the tannin of ordinary tea. It contains minerals and powerful antioxidants which fight aging. It is rich in antioxidants,rich in vitamin C and is caffeine-free.

Rooibos Tea Benefits

Promotes hair growth
Promotes stomach health
Fights stress, insomnia and depression

Sources

WebMD

Chamomile Tea -  buy healthy Chamomile tea

Also known as manzanilla, the chamomile herb has been used for centuries as a medicinal cure-all to treat a variety of medical problems including stress, colds, and menstrual cramps.

Chamomile Tea Benefits

Prevents diabetes
Prevents loss of vision
Prevents nerve and kidney damage

Sources

Science Daily

Tea Health – By Ailment

Heart - buy tea for your heart

  • Derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, all tea types are rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that detoxify cell-damaging free radicals in the body
  • Tea contains flavonoids, which restricts the build-up of cholesterols and assist with blood vessel functionality, thus lowering high cholesterol and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
  • Regular tea drinkers are as much as 44 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack than the general population.

Cancer - buy tea for cancer

  • Both clinical and large population studies suggest black or green tea reduces the risk of a host of cancers, in particular, stomach, liver, breast, skin and colorectal
  • Tea contains antioxidant compounds of polyphenols that help the body fight harmful free radicals which can lead to cancer and heart disease

Diabetes - buy tea for diabetes

  • Black and green tea lower blood sugar thereby help prevent diabetes by regulating glucose in the body. Tea also inhibits diabetic cataracts according to animal studies

Inflammatory Bowel Disease - buy tea for ibd

  • Green tea may help reduce two types of IBD, inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

High Cholesterol - buy tea for cholesterol

  • Green tea lowers total cholesterol and raises “good” cholesterol known as HDL.Polyphenols found in tea may block cholesterol from being absorbed in the intestine

Parkinson’s Disease - buy tea for parkinson's

  • Polyphenols found in tea protect against neuronal loss thereby reducing the risk of Parkinson’s Disease

Skin - buy tea for healthy skin

  • The antioxidant-rich properties of tea, mainly oolong, may help minimize the aging process, prevent sunburn and even skin cancer
  • Wearing tea extract may be just as useful; studies show that green tea in skin lotions may protect against and reverse sun damage

Dental - buy tea for teeth

  • White tea has been shown to suppress bacterial growth in the mouth and help prevent cavities
  • Polyphenols found in tea may reduce plaque, which lowers the chance of cavity and gum disease
  • Tea also contains fluoride that helps protect against tooth decay. Fluoride is extracted from the soil by the tea plant which also strengthens bones and prevents osteoporosis

Weight Loss - buy green tea for weight loss

  • Polyphenols in tea help with digestion of fatty food by increasing the flow of digestive juices
  • Green tea in particular promotes an increase in metabolism as an essential benefit that helps burn fat and lowers cholesterol in the body, especially targeting belly fat.

Memory - buy tea for memory

  • Green and black tea inhibit the activity of certain enzymes in the brain which are associated with memory decline and can potentially slow down the development of failing memory.

Common Cold - buy tea for cold

  • Vitamin C in green tea helps to treat the flu and the common cold
  • Polyphenols in tea have shown to increase the number of white blood cells in our immune system