The Different Types of Tea and Their Benefits
Have you ever wondered about the connection between tea and healthy living? If you meet someone supremely health conscious, there’s a high likelihood they’re tea drinkers.
So, why is that?
Tea, specifically the tea leaves, are jam packed with antioxidants. To oversimplify things, antioxidants wash away the toxins we ingest throughout the day – whether we eat them, drink them, or breathe them in.
Together, let’s cozy down and explore the different types of tea and their benefits. You just might walk away with a renewed sense of determination to incorporate it into your everyday life.
Black Tea
Let’s start with the variety most people are aware of – black tea. It’s your common “breakfast blend.” You’ll find it in bargain basement brands like Lipton or Tetley, all the way up to exclusive international blends.
This tea has the most caffeine in it, coming in at about half as much as a cup of coffee. Iced tea and sweet tea are often made with black tea, as well. Upon brewing, black tea is usually a coppery or gold color, depending on the variety and how long you steep it for.
Primarily, black tea is produced in China and India. However, you can find these plants all over the world nowadays. There are Kenyan varieties, as well, that are quite strong if you like a nice kick in your tea.
Darjeeling is another type of black tea that is quite robust. King Charless III claims darjeeling as one of his favorites and there was even a Coronation Darjeeling tea created in his honor.
You’ll also find plenty of English breakfast and Irish breakfast blends that are a great way to jumpstart your day if you’d like to hit the pause button on your morning cup of coffee.
Benefits of Black Tea
Most of the nutrients we garner from tea comes from something called polyphenols. They’re a group of antioxidants that may offer protection against certain diseases.
However, black tea contains a powerful, cleansing group of polyphenols called theaflavins that develop during the oxidation process. Then, there’s one more fancy scientific term: flavonoids. Flavonoids are another antioxidant found in black tea that may help remove some of the toxins from our bodies.
Red wine is often touted as a healthy alternative because of its flavonoids. But, in black tea, you’re not ingesting all those other toxins, such as ethanol and sugar.
All that to say, according to UCLA Health, here are some of the purported benefits of black tea:
Improved heart health
Improved focus
Reduced blood sugar levels
Decreased risk of certain cancers
If true, what a tonic! Of course, this means you can’t pour in a bunch of milk and sugar into your black tea (if you’re trying to promote heart health and lower your blood sugar). But, all in all, this brew packs a mighty punch.
Green Tea
Green tea is a lot more mild in flavor, taste, and color. It brews into a nice shade of light green or yellow.
It contains far less caffeine than black tea – about half as much. So, now you’ve cut your cup of coffee down to about a quarter of the amount of caffeine. The way Darjeeling is to black tea, Gunpowder and Moroccan Mint are to green tea. They’re common varieties worth a try.
If you don’t like the taste of green tea by itself, you can add honey or lemon. There’s also a Japanese blend of green tea called Genmaicha which includes roasted rice. It cuts through some of the bitterness that green tea can take on and offers a unique flavor.
Benefits of Green Tea
If green tea literally tastes healthy to you, that’s because it is. It’s often regarded as one of the healthiest beverages we can sip on throughout the day. It, too, is packed with those polyphenols that can cleanse the system.
With that in mind, here are some of the other major health benefits of green tea:
Fewer toxins from the bloodstream
Improved cognitive function
More burned fat
Reduced risk of certain cancers
Those are some nice health benefits of tea, aren’t they? It’s something to research further, when you consider the possibility of improved brain function and a little extra fat being burned throughout the day.
White Tea
White tea is the mildest tea on this list. It has a wonderfully smooth flavor. It’s minimally processed and tends to have a nice, clean finish.
Like green tea, you can find many wonderful flavors. Popular tea houses like Harney and Sons sell French macaron white tea and vanilla white tea. It’s a fun way to indulge in the evening – completely calorie free!
Benefits of White Tea
Since white tea is the least processed, it may be your biggest boost from nature. Of course, the antioxidants are ever-present. They are, perhaps, the most important element to any cup of tea.
Here are some of the other potential perks to a gentle cup of this delicious brew:
Improved dental health
Reduced risk of osteoporosis
Slower aging process
Many of the correlations between tea and health point toward the antioxidants. But, it’s nice to consider that white tea may even help our teeth and skin.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is partially oxidized, meaning its flavor and aroma are more potent. This places it somewhere in between black and green teas.
Oolong teas vary a lot, in terms of color. Some oolongs finish with a nice pale yellow. Others take on a gorgeous amber hue.
If, like green tea, you find the taste a bit powerful, you can always dull the age with one of the many flavor varieties out there. Peach oolong, for example, is a popular flavor that brings a certain amount of refreshment to it.
Benefits of Oolong Tea
It just sounds healthy, doesn’t it? Oolong is an ancient Chinese tea that has been used for centuries as a healing tonic. Let’s take a look at some of its valuable properties:
Rich in antioxidants
Aids in weight loss
Boosts the immune system
Battles eczema
Improves sleep
Strengthens teeth and bones
There we have it again. It seems certain teas can benefit our bodies, from the inside out. Imagine all the good we could do if we sip on a few cups of tea throughout the day, instead of soda, sweet teas, and other sugary concoctions.
Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is a gorgeous tea favored by health-conscious people all over the world. It’s an aged, partially fermented tea that’s most similar to black tea. It has quite a distinct taste; it almost has an earthy scent and taste that’s immediately recognizable.
Benefits of Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is often used in tea ceremonies across the world. It’s even considered to have medicinal properties. Here are some of the reported benefits of pu-erh tea:
Promotes a relaxed, healthy calm
Cleanses toxins and free radicals
Prevents cancer
Increases bone health
Aids in weight loss
That’s a widespread list of health benefits to drinking tea, isn’t it? Pu-erh tea is most noted for its ability to aid in digestion. It’s a soothing tonic for the gut.
But, it’s also known to bring on a certain sense of calm and relaxation after the third small cup or two. Perhaps this is why it’s often used in tea ceremonies.
Still, you can’t go wrong with any of these varieties. See which ones your palate favors and start to make it a regular part of your everyday diet!
Herbal Teas
That was an exciting adventure, wasn’t it? There’s one more category we have to briefly explore. For people new to the world of tea, it’s often a safe bet to offer them a nice herbal tea, full of fruity or citrus flavors.
Let’s take a look at some healthy herbal teas:
Rooibos
Chamomile
Peppermint
Ginger
Hibiscus
Lemon Balm
Rose Hip
Chamomile is a popular herbal tea that most people have heard about. And it’s not just a nighttime brew; it can be enjoyed anytime throughout the day when you’re seeking a bit of calm from all the chaos.
Peppermint is equally refreshing. Although it’s caffeine-free, it has a lovely, fresh scent that often perks people up.
Ginger and lemon balm are helpful during times when a little cold or flu may be coming on. Ginger is also very soothing to an upset stomach.
Indeed, the world of tea poses a wealth of health benefits. Once you find some flavor varieties that you enjoy, the world – and your health -- is your oyster.
All the Different Types of Tea and Their Benefits
Hopefully, learning about the different types of tea and their benefits will inspire you to become a connoisseur. The health benefits are remarkable and, if you give it a few tries, you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll like.
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