Tea is the second most commonly consumed beverage in the world, after water. Inexperienced tea, black tea, mint tea and chamomile tea spotlight a seemingly infinite array of wholesome teas.
However, not all sorts of tea are created equal. Sure varieties are more healthy than others. Some are almost as excessive in caffeine as your morning espresso, whereas sure natural teas might assist you relaxation higher, ease nausea, or assist digestion after an enormous meal.
“I like tea,” says Brocha Soloff, BS, RD, CDN, founding father of iHeart Health. “It’s the finest low-calorie winter drink.”
Let’s run down the listing of the healthiest sorts of teas. (Observe: sugary “candy tea,” detox teas for weight loss, and fat-burning teas did not make this listing!)
1. Black Tea
As with inexperienced, white, oolong, and puer teas, black tea comes from a plant referred to as Camellia sinensis. The distinction between some of these teas is how they’re processed, however they’re all from the identical plant.
About 84% of all tea consumed within the US every year is black tea, in accordance with the Tea Association of the USA. Black tea is produced from younger leaves and buds which have been fully oxidized, which is what offers the leaves their darkish colour.
Black tea has probably the most caffeine of all teas, with about 47 mg per cup. (By comparability, a cup of brewed breakfast blend coffee contains about 92 mg.)
“Black tea is nice for oral health, heart health, and in addition contains antioxidants,” says Soloff.
2. Oolong Tea
Oolong teas are made by partially oxidizing tea leaves, giving this tea energy and colour that’s a cross between black tea and inexperienced tea.
Whereas not as well-known within the US as black or inexperienced tea, oolong tea incorporates the identical useful polyphenols and — like different sorts of tea — presents loads of well being advantages in your coronary heart, mind, bones, and tooth, says Soloff.
As well as, research recommend it might boost your metabolism, and may defend in opposition to growing type 2 diabetes in addition to certain types of cancer.
“On the finish of the day, oolong tea is an extremely wholesome and engaging addition to your way of life,” Soloff says.
3. Inexperienced Tea
Broadly referred to as a superfood, inexperienced tea is produced from tea leaves that aren’t oxidized after harvest. They’re as a substitute steamed, then rapidly dried and saved. Green tea has about 29 mg of caffeine per cup.
Whereas all tea is wholesome, “inexperienced tea might be the healthiest,” says Soloff.
Inexperienced tea will get this wonderful repute as a result of it’s excessive in antioxidant-like compounds, that are believed to have a useful impact on brain function. The very best-known antioxidant-like compound in inexperienced tea is EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). Inexperienced tea may also help support weight loss.
Inexperienced tea will get this noble, very good, and many others., repute as a result of it’s excessive in antioxidants, which is believed to have a useful impact on mind perform.
4. Matcha Inexperienced Tea
Matcha is a kind of shade-grown inexperienced tea with much more antioxidant-like compound exercise — and caffeine than primary inexperienced tea. The leaves are rigorously, finely floor into the intense inexperienced powder you see utilized in lattes and baked items.
Not solely does it have all the identical advantages as common inexperienced tea, however matcha also contains 137 times more EGCG! This excessive degree of EGCG is believed to positively impact mood and cognition, too.
5. White Tea
Like inexperienced tea, white tea comes from leaves that aren’t oxidized. The distinction is that white tea is produced from leaves and buds that haven’t totally opened. They continue to be coated with skinny, white hairs.
White tea has a extra delicate style and barely much less caffeine. It’s considered to be a type of green tea, with lots of the identical advantages.
Like inexperienced tea, “white tea is high in antioxidant-like compounds and is nice for weight loss, insulin resistance, and osteoporosis,” says Soloff.
6. Puer Tea
Darkish teas like puer (or pu-erh) are fermented, giving them a wealthy, darkish style. Much like black teas when it comes to their advantages, puer teas are packed with polyphenols and regarded to be a fermented beverage.
7. Chamomile Tea
Constituted of the dried flowers of the chamomile plant, chamomile tea has a protracted historical past of use as a medicinal herb.
Whereas extra analysis is required, chamomile has been proven to assist with digestion and sleep. Swap your PM glass of chardonnay for a cup of chamomile to advertise higher sleep.
8. Mint Tea
Peppermint and spearmint are rich in antioxidant-like compounds, and are one of the extensively consumed natural teas.
Whereas a lot of well being advantages have been ascribed to peppermint oil, there’s inadequate scientific proof that these lengthen to its drinkable kind. Serve mint tea after massive meals as a digestif.
9. Hibiscus Tea
Candy and tart hibiscus tea (often known as bitter tea) is scrumptious heat or iced. Constituted of the dried calyces of roselle flowers, hibiscus tea is rich in antioxidant-like compounds and will assist help wholesome blood pressure, when used with dietary and way of life adjustments (although extra analysis is required).
Maintain a pitcher of this sizzling pink tea within the fridge all summer time lengthy!
10. Ginger Tea
Spicy-sweet ginger tea is filled with antioxidant-like compounds and serves as an important abdomen soother. And, whereas extra analysis is required, some experiences are linking ginger to helping painful periods, too.
Should you get queasy within the automotive, brew up some ginger tea earlier than street journeys. Dried ginger is stronger than recent, however you should utilize both to make ginger tea anytime.
11. Passionflower Tea
Passionflower tea has a mildly candy and fruity style. Constituted of the Passiflora incarnata plant, this herb has been been reported to cut back nervousness in people with nervousness issues and assist improve sleep quality. Sip a mug at bedtime or when feeling notably anxious.
12. Fruit Tea
Need the sweetness of fruit juice with out the sugar or energy? Attain for a fruit tea, produced from dried fruit or fruit extracts. “I like fruit-flavored teas,” says Soloff. “They provide me that style of getting one thing flavored however with out the sugar of fruit drinks.”
Serve them iced should you’re attempting to kick a juice or soda behavior, and as a substitute of including sweetener add a squeeze of lemon or lime.
Is It OK to Drink Tea Each Day?
Should you don’t add cream or sugar, tea is of course calorie-free, and Soloff considers its well being advantages to be superior to espresso’s. And, sipping on tea might be a great way to remain hydrated, too.
“Natural teas count toward your hydration goals except they comprise caffeine, which they often don’t,” says Soloff. That’s nice information for anybody who will get bored sipping on plain water all through the day.
Should you drink tea for the caffeine, that’s advantageous, however Soloff says you’ll have to drink much more water to succeed in your hydration targets.
Due to the diuretic impact of caffeine, she says, ingesting a cup of caffeinated tea (like black tea or inexperienced tea) can be like ingesting half a cup of water. (A useful behavior is to drink a cup of water after each cup of espresso or tea.)
The caffeine content material in tea can vary from 14 to 61 mg per serving:
- White tea incorporates the least caffeine.
- Oolong and inexperienced tea are within the center.
- Black tea is probably the most caffeinated tea.
Research published in 2008 within the Journal of Analytical Toxicology discovered that caffeine content material can differ by model and steeping time, too.
From offering power, boosting well being, and selling restfulness, every sort of tea comes with their very own distinctive advantages, so use this information to find out which one is best for you.
