What's the Tea on Tea?
It’s the perfect time of year to cozy up with a warm drink! Whether tea is your go-to drink or you’ve been contemplating trying it over coffee, read on to learn about its history and health benefits.
Traditional forms of tea stem from ancient drinks native to China and India, dating back to 2700BCE. It comes from the leaves of the plant, Camellia sinensis, however, today we also include herbal blends in the definition of tea. Originally it was used medicinally, but later became a drink of daily enjoyment.
There are many types of tea that come from Camellia sinensis and are defined by the way that the leaves are dried, during which oxidation occurs. Oxidation of tea leaves can be compared to the ripening of fruit. The tea leaves grow darker the longer they are allowed to oxidize, thus creating different types of tea. The most common include:
Black Tea: most oxidized
Oolong Tea: moderately oxidized
White Tea: less oxidized
Green Tea: minimally oxidized as green tea leaves undergo a process after harvest that halts oxidation.
The tea plant naturally contains caffeine so be aware that having a cup of tea may give you a jolt of energy. However, green tea has the highest concentration of L-theanine, which is a chemical that promotes a calming or relaxing sensation. The action of L-theanine and caffeine together can result in a less jittery sense of energy. Take note next time you drink a cup of green tea.
If you want a caffeine-free cup of tea, a simple trick is to steep your tea in a small amount of water for several minutes. Once done, discard the water and re-steep your tea. Also, herbal teas do not typically contain caffeine!
Teas contain antioxidants called flavonoids that have been studied to have anti-inflammatory effects. This, in turn, results in a lower risk of many chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more. We recommend avoiding teas and warm beverages that contain high amounts of sugar for maximum health benefit.
Matcha tea has become a popular drink in recent years due to its claim to fame of a high level of antioxidants. Matcha comes from green tea, but the difference lies in the fact that matcha is literally ground-up tea leaves rather than just steeped leaves. When you drink a cup of matcha you are drinking dissolved green tea leaves which is the reason it contains a larger quantity of antioxidants.
Beyond the chemically based health profiles of teas, the act of simply preparing and drinking tea, or any comforting, warm beverage, for that matter, has a relaxing/stress-reducing effect in itself.
Now, it’s time to get the kettle out and boil water for a nice cup of tea!
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Resources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/tea-beverage
https://www.artfultea.com/tea-wisdom-1/2017/7/7/tea-oxidation
https://www.teatulia.com/tea-101/caffeine-in-tea.html#:~:text=Caffeine%20occurs%20naturally%20in%20the,brewed%20tea%20contains%20some%20caffeine.&text=Tea%20is%20the%20only%20plant,a%20state%20of%20mindful%20alertness.
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/december/health-benefits-of-tea
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits#1