There are many different types of tea that you can try, but did you know that most of them all come from the same plant? The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, produces leaves that teamakers can treat in various ways to create different types of teas such as green and black tea. However, this doesn’t mean that the Camellia sinensis plant creates all types of teas.
There are some teas such as rooibos tea that come from entirely different plants. But wherever your tea comes from and whatever kind of tea you drink, you are likely to experience plenty of health benefits. Out of all the different types of tea, green tea tends to be most famous for its health benefits, so let’s explore that kind of tea first.
What are the Health Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea has been becoming more and more popular in recent years and it may be because of one very important compound: ECGC. ECGC is a powerful antioxidant that occurs in green tea in particularly high amounts. Consuming antioxidants is important for your body’s health for a variety of reasons.
One of the biggest reasons you should consume more antioxidant-rich foods and drinks is because of free radicals. Free radicals are atoms that have become unstable. Because they are unstable, they like to react with your body on a cellular level and this type of interaction can actually be very harmful to your health.
This is because some studies have shown that free radicals may link to the acceleration of aging, inflammation throughout the body, and the increased risk of certain types of cancers. Antioxidants are so beneficial because they have the ability to fight against the damage that these free radicals cause.
More than that, antioxidants seem to be able to minimize the number of free radicals as well. So, by simply drinking a cup or two of green tea every day, your body can reap the health benefits.
What are the Health Benefits of Black Tea
Black tea may not contain ECGC, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t filled with health benefits. The one thing that black tea has that green tea doesn’t is high levels of caffeine. While the caffeine levels in black tea aren’t as high as the levels in a cup of coffee, black tea can still give you a big boost of energy.
But caffeine can do a lot more than wake you up in the morning. Caffeine seems to affect the brain in a certain way and may even improve cognitive function. Also, because of the way caffeine binds to certain receptors in the brain, caffeine can cause the brain to release certain hormones.
For example, the brain tends to release the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine as a response to caffeine consumption. These hormones can put you in a better mood if you happen to feel blue.
What are the Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea
You may not have heard of rooibos tea before, but just because it isn’t as popular as other types of teas doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother with it. In fact, this type of tea is quickly rising in popularity because more and more people are discovering what benefits it has to offer. Rooibos tea comes from the Aspalathus linearis plant in Africa and its levels of antioxidants may be similar to those of green tea.
Rooibos tea has no caffeine which can be beneficial if you suffer from heart palpitations or headaches as a result of caffeine consumption. Rooibos tea also has no oxalic acid, a compound that can inflict harm in a variety of ways. In particular, consuming too much oxalic acid seems to be linked to the development of kidney stones.
Black tea, in contrast, tends to have higher levels of this acid. So, if you are prone to kidney stones, it might be a good idea to stick with rooibos tea.
What are the Health Benefits of White Tea
White tea is another tea that is growing in popularity but is still not quite as popular as black or green tea. White tea is unique because it is neither cured nor fermented and has very pale leaves as a result. The reason why white tea is steadily becoming more popular is that recent studies have shown that white tea may have powerful anti-cancer properties.
This may be because white tea is packed with antioxidants. But more than that, white tea may also speed up your metabolism. As a result, fat in the body tends to break down faster.
White tea may also help you burn more calories. So, if you want to try losing weight, drinking some white tea may be able to help you.
What are the Health Benefits of Oolong Tea
Oolong tea has been popular in China for thousands of years, and for good reason. Oolong tea is also packed with antioxidants and may be able to keep your cardiovascular system in great health for the future. Its high levels of antioxidants may also have the ability to lower bad cholesterol levels.
In addition to its antioxidant properties, it has high levels of caffeine since, after all, it is a type of black tea. The final benefit of oolong tea is that it may also stimulate your metabolism. However, scientists are unsure whether oolong tea’s influence on metabolism is as strong as the effect of green or white tea.
If oolong tea interests you, look here to learn more about it.
The Health Benefits of Different Types of Tea
All types of tea are unique in flavor, aroma, and, above all, health benefits. Green and white tea are similar in their high levels of antioxidants and their ability to stimulate metabolism. Black and oolong tea are both packed with caffeine and can improve your mental alertness.
Finally, rooibos tea may give you a boost of caffeine and keep kidney stones at bay.