The Health Benefits of Tea
Coffee, hot chocolate or tea… I love a hot drink to help warm me up on a cold fall day.
Although I drink more coffee than tea these days, I’m starting to add more tea back to my day.
Tea is a very popular beverage around the world. The three main types of tea are:
Black tea: Black teas are most popular in North America. They are usually dark in colour and have a very rich flavour.
Green tea: Green tea is most popular in Asia. It is much lighter in colour and has a mild to strong flavour. Green tea has become more popular in North America because of its health benefits.
Oolong tea: Oolong tea is popular in China. It is like a mix of black tea and green tea.
Tea has several health benefits, including the following:
Tea contains antioxidants. Antioxidants can help reduce inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and some cancers. To benefit from the antioxidants in tea, drink freshly brewed tea. Most ready-to-drink tea beverages contain very little to no antioxidants. Green tea usually contains more antioxidants than black tea. Some herbal teas also contain antioxidants; however, these are not the same type of antioxidants as herbal teas come from different types of plants.
Tea is low in caffeine. Generally, tea has less caffeine than coffee – but the amount of caffeine will depend on how strong you like your tea. Green tea contains less caffeine than black tea.
Drinking tea may help with weight loss. Tea contains very few to no calories. Drinking a cup of tea instead of a soft drink or other high calorie beverage will help reduce calorie intake. Drinking a cup of tea between meals can also help keep you feeling full and help keep you from snacking on sweets and treats.
Check out the following links for some delicious tea recipes.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chai-tea-latte
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/hot-spiced-green-tea
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/239811/honey-lemon-ginger-tea/
https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Caffeine/Tea-Time.aspx
