Tea has been around for a long time and with so many different kinds of tea it’s hard for anyone to decide which kind to buy. Not knowing with type to buy can cause decision making paralysis and often times prevents people from buying any at all. All tea is good, but they greatly differ in the effect they have on the body.
For example, Chamomile tea can cause a person to feel a bit sleepy and is used primarily to aid in the task of achieving calmness and relaxation.[1] But on the other hand a tea like Yerba Mate or Green Tea can cause an energetic state of mental clarity. In fact, famous entrepreneur Tim Ferriss has been a major proponent of Yerba Mate insisting that the tea is more or less a natural smart drug or nootropic.
The recorded history of tea dates back to people using it as far back as 2737 BC. There has been an incredible amount of research done on tea with much of it proven through Chinese herbology practices. [2] A tea is defined as an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot water over its leaves and letting it steep for a period of time.[3] Today, tea is still consumed in generous amounts across the globe and is known mostly for its ability to keep you alert, but mellow at the same time because of its diverse properties.
Black tea is powerful and has many of its own benefits. There are many reasons to choose black tea the next time you’re in the store or local coffee shop. Here are a few.
Health Benefits of Black Tea
Black tea is calorie free
You know that feeling when you are thirsty or you just want a little flavor? Sometimes we get tired of water and our taste buds need a little excitement, but we don’t want all the calories of a Starbucks iced coffee. Fortunately, black tea is a delicious beverage that is calorie free, easy to make, and carries with it many other benefits that we will go over shortly. There are many different kinds of black tea so do some trial and error and find out which type of tea your taste buds like most.
Rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants are one of the most important things to have a large amount of in a healthy diet. They work to delay or prevent some types of cellular damage, which is a huge deal when we are talking about staying healthy! Typically, vegetables, herbs, and fruits have the highest antioxidant content. [4] Other common terms you may have heard used for antioxidants are things like vitamin C or vitamin E. Black tea has a very high antioxidant content and is known for this beneficial characteristic.
It has caffeine
People can drink black tea at any time of the day, but it’s particularly beneficial in the morning because of the caffeine it contains. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and has a great ability to wake you up on your drive to work in the morning. Aside from the good taste of tea or coffee, these drinks are mostly used to help facilitate a feeling of focus or alertness.[5][6]
It has a calming effect
Although tea has caffeine and stimulates you, it also has a calming effect that keeps you focused and balanced. The reason it can cause this effect is because of an amino acid called Theanine, which has a calming effect on the body and has the ability to reduce anxiety.[7][8] This is why drinking tea in the afternoon or after a long day in a lounge type setting is a very popular activity. With an all-time high level of stress that people experience today, sometimes things like this can help a person relax.
Cancer fighting effect
Many scientists believe that specific types of antioxidants found in tea such as Polyphenols and Catechins could help to prevent cancer.[9] Cancer causes cellular damage, but these strong antioxidants have the ability to delay or even prevent that damage from occurring. Some of the more promising research is showing that black tea could have a big effect on slowing or preventing ovarian cancer in women.[10]
More focus and clarity
Drinking black tea has been linked to improving a person’s cognition and mental focus. Some of this can be attributed to the caffeine content, but there may be more reasons for its effect on our cognition. The rest can be attributed to its unique antioxidant makeup that has been shown to improve signs of dementia and other cognitively impairing diseases.[11]
Other benefits
There are a handful of other benefits that black tea possesses, but there needs to be a bit more research to be sure. Tea has been linked to lowering the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney stones, Parkinson’s Disease, and dementia. For this reason black tea is often times sold as a supplement to help aid with these types of conditions. It’s high vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content is why this herb is so powerful and beneficial to anyone that drinks it.[12]
Black tea is a unique tea with a high caffeine content that has been shown to improve many health conditions and even improve the life of healthy individuals. Whether as a wake up drink for the morning or a cup of clarity before you are going to get some work done, black tea is a simple and delicious drink that can help you out.
References:
[1] “Natural Sleep Aids – WebMD.” 2010. 6 Nov. 2015 <http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/sleep-supplements-herbs>
[2] “Black tea – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” 2011. 6 Nov. 2015 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tea>
[3] “Black tea – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” 2011. 6 Nov. 2015 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tea>
[4] “Antioxidants: MedlinePlus.” 2009. 6 Nov. 2015 <https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html>
[5] “Caffeine Facts: Addiction, Insomnia, Pregnancy Effects, and …” 2008. 6 Nov. 2015 <http://www.webmd.com/balance/caffeine-myths-and-facts>
[6] “Caffeine – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” 2011. 6 Nov. 2015 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine>
[7] “Theanine – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” 2011. 6 Nov. 2015 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theanine>
[8] “theanine: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings …” 2014. 6 Nov. 2015 <http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1053-theanine.aspx?activeingredientid=1053&activeingredientname=theanine>
[9] “Black tea – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” 2011. 6 Nov. 2015 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tea>
[10] “Black tea – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” 2011. 6 Nov. 2015 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tea>
[11] “Green Tea Linked to Lower Risk for Dementia – WebMD.” 2015. 6 Nov. 2015 <http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20150403/green-tea-dementia>
[12] “black tea: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings …” 2011. 6 Nov. 2015 <http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-997-black%20tea.aspx?activeingredientid=997&activeingredientname=black%20tea>
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