Choosing your favorite Tea and their benefits
OOLONG TEA NZ
LOOSE-LEAF TEA
GREEN TEA AND LEMON
DARJEELING TEA NZ
Not everyone knows their Earl Grey from Darjeeling, but most of us enjoy a cup of tea every now and then. The variety of loose leaf teas available today is nothing short of overwhelming, each with its own unique blend of leaves, herbs, and spices. Each, in turn, has its own set of health benefits. One of the great things you can do for your health is to drink a good cup of tea – especially as a replacement for caffeine.
Tea is commonly said to have originated in China in 206 BC, although some estimates date back as far as 2737 BC. Tea culture first spread to Japan, where tea drinking ceremonies were created for formal occasions that became integral to society. It eventually became a culture around the rest of the globe. In the 17th century, Europeans got a hold of the good stuff and created a worldwide tea trading network. The rest is history.
Modern research into the health benefits of tea has begun to elaborate on the hunch, sorting the truth from the many myths about tea drinking. The verdict? Tea is definitely good for all of us. Every tea contains high concentrations of flavonoids, which are antioxidant compounds unique to plants, shown to improve cardiovascular health. University of Wisconsin-Madison's research concluded that regular tea drinking, alongside benefits to cardiovascular health, can reduce our likelihood of cancer and chronic diseases. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite varie-teas, taking note of some of the potential benefits for our health.
Black tea
Black tea and blends derived from it are the most popular kind in the world. Blends made from black tea are considered to be much stronger and flavourful than green, white, or Oolong tea. Famous varieties include Darjeeling, Assam, Nepal, Earl Grey, and Lapsang souchong, which all have very distinct flavor palettes.
One of the discoveries in the journey of the humble tea leaf through history led to an understanding that black tea has an important part to play in our metabolism. It was also found that drinking black tea alters a certain kind of flora in our guts, which can help in weight loss.
A Unilever and Amiens University Hospital, France study discovered a clear correlation between regular black tea consumption and how it combats the risk of diabetes. Through black tea’s ability to moderate sharp rises in glucose levels it helps in preventing diabetes.
Oolong tea
Oolong is a semi-fermented tea, tracing its lineage through ancient Chinese cultures, traditionally brewed in clay teapots. The preparation of Oolong tea involves avoiding it to be brewed to the boiling point, as this can disrupt the taste and health-imbuing qualities. 2015 Meta research conducted by Rutgers University has discovered that drinking Oolong tea has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties.
Green Tea vs White Tea
According to research, white tea appears to have more antioxidants in comparison to green tea, as it is less processed. Both of these variants are good for heart health, for reducing the risk of obesity, cancer, and various other lifestyle diseases, when consumed daily.
Due to the low-caffeine content in green tea, it helps in a healthy weight check and is also great for healthy youthful skin. Due to its popularity, Green Tea eclipses its close cousin White Tea and the associated health benefits of the latter.
We understand that selecting a tea can sometimes be an overwhelming task. We believe that it is best to test and try a couple of varieties, brew them at different temperatures and for varying durations to figure out what works for you. Whether you decide on a green tea with lemon, floral blends in white tea, black tea, or oolong tea, each has its own flavor, aroma, freshness, taste, and benefits.
References -
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23448443
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-017-1542-8
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/6/e000648
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453015000555