When I was a child I would have tea parties with my precious toy dolls on a regular basis. I would dress myself up for the occasion, drink from fancy teacups and get lost in the magical world that my imagination had created. Tea has always been more than just a tasty beverage for me, it was a part of me – it was a calming, glamorous, and beautiful experience that I still value today. As I got older, I learned many positive things about tea, which made me fall in love with it even more. In assist to your overall health, I’ve compiled a list of selected teas and the reasons why tea consumption is good for you:
1) Green tea is one of the most beneficial teas for one’s health. The overwhelming benefits alone are enough to convince anyone to consume the beverage, and it tastes delicious. Some of the many benefits to drinking green tea include:
- Anti-cancer effects: A study at the University of Minnesota found that women who consumed more than two cups of tea a day were 60% less of a risk for kidney and bladder cancer compared to those who didn’t drink tea daily. The majority of teas, especially green, are rich in anti-oxidants, which inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Countries such as Japan where green tea is widely consumed have low cancer rates amongst citizens.
- Helps lower LDL cholesterol levels.
- Helps fight against influenza virus.
- According to a study done by the University of Geneva in Switzerland, green tea can help burn calories.
- According to the Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, the only negative side effect of green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. Drinking green tea earlier in the day, far from bedtime, is ideal.
2) Black Tea is the most common tea consumed in the West. It’s similar to green tea in terms of benefits, as recent studies have shown that black teas may also reduce the risk of certain cancers. Some other benefits include:
- Prevents clogging of arteries.
- Could help soothe arthritis.
- Rich in anti-oxidants.
3) Herbal Teas are different from green and black tea because they are not brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Instead, they’re brewed from other plants and not just the leaves. Herbal teas consist of dried flowers, fruits, roots and seeds. The variety of herbal teas is endless, from chamomile to ginger and everything in between. Some benefits of certain herbal teas include:
- May help regulate blood pressure (hibiscus tea).
- Soothes stomachaches and menstrual cramps (chamomile tea, ginger tea).
- Freshens breath, treats headaches and sinuses (peppermint tea).
- Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects (lemongrass tea).
- Free of caffeine, ideal for those who want to lessen their amount of caffeine intake (Roobios tea).
This is just a small portion of the thousands of benefits that go along with drinking tea. No matter what tea you choose to drink it will improve your mind, body, spirit and health. You can never go wrong with this divine beverage.“There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.”
By: Gina Stornetta
Sources:
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/8-health-benefits-of-chamomile-tea.html
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-ginger.html
Quote at the end by: Bernard-Paul Heroux
