The Healing Power Of a Cup of Tea

How good is a nice hot cup of tea on a winter’s day! Forget those double-shot, soy mocha lattes and treat yourself to a mug-load of health benefits with a lovely brew of tea, or tisane (herbal tea-like infusions). Here’s a quick guide to some popular teas and their associated healing and health properties.

Firstly, All Tea Contains Caffeine

Just in case you were still thinking of reaching for that double-shot instead. You probably knew this about black tea (hence the decaf varieties on supermarket shelves) but there’s also caffeine in green tea, white tea, yellow tea – every tea! That’s because they’re all made from the tea bush; Camellia sinensis.

The only difference between tea types is how long the leaves have been left to ferment (oxidize). Black tea is dried and fermented the longest, so it has the highest level of caffeine. It’s less than half the hit you’ll get from a cup of coffee, but still enough to revitalize and increase concentration without inducing “buzz” jitters.

Green Tea

Long hailed as the ultimate antioxidant in a cup, green tea has attracted loads of scientific study and therefore sports the most health claims – inhibits viruses, boosts metabolism, exhibits cancer fighting properties, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, slows aging, etc.

About Antioxidants: The reason they’re so popular is because they fight free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage healthy molecules in their attempts for stabilization. A ‘stable’ molecule needs an even number of electrons. Free radicals have an odd number so they nick electrons from healthy (stable) molecules, in turn, throwing them off balance!

The result can be a snowball effect of free radicals which cause aging, clogged arteries and destruction of DNA. Antioxidants (found in plant foods) are the heroes who neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons; bringing the electron-stealing to a halt. Yay! However, the reign of green tea has since been overthrown by the younger, purer…

White Tea

White tea is made from young leaves that have not turned green (green tea is made from mature leaves). The leaves are processed by steaming – as opposed to air-drying – almost immediately after they’re picked to prevent oxidization This process means the leaves remain closer to their natural state, making white tea the antioxidant winner! But what does this mean for you?

Skin Protection: Scientists in Cleveland have proven white tea to be effective in boosting the immune function of skin cells, protecting them against the damaging effects of the sun.

Tooth Decay Prevention: Researchers at Pace University [USA] found that fluoride-rich white tea helps prevent the growth of dental plaque.

Fights Fat! In Germany, a team of researchers found an extract of white tea inhibited the generation of new fat cells.

Black Tea

This has been dried and fermented the longest, which produces a strong flavor and high levels of caffeine, but it’s still very good for you. Above all others, black tea has been found to contain the highest quantity of theanine – an amino acid capable of decreasing cortisol, the stress hormone.

It gives weight to the time honored tradition of fighting stress with ‘a cup of tea and a good lie down’. English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast and Darjeeling are all black tea blends.