Many people around the world believe that tea can promote good health. It is a well-known fact that people also consider tea to be nature’s ‘wonder drug’. Is there any truth to this? Well, have you ever wondered why the Chinese and Japanese people have some of the longest life expectancy rates in the world? There’s a lot of reason to believe that tea may be one of the factors that increases the life expectancy rates, of those who consume it, tremendously due to the many benefits of tea.
So what exactly are the benefits of tea?
Tea is the product of a combination of leaves, buds, internodes of various cultivars, and variations of the camellia sinensis plant. Research has recently shown that tea derived from the camellia sinensis plant has cancer-fighting properties. This is because the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant contain chemicals called polyphenols – which gives tea its antioxidant properties.
Most of the popular types of teas such as: green tea, black tea, white tea, Rooibos tea and herb tea are all produced using different varieties of the camellia sinensis plant and thus contain the polyphenol chemical. The benefits of tea, which are discussed below, all thus present in most of the popular teas today.
The benefits of tea due to the presence of the polyphenol chemical:
Polyphenols in tea can: prevent blood from clotting, lower cholesterol levels, reduce the growth rate of tumours, destroy promoters that give rise to cancer, and aid in the stimulation of the immune system. Polyphenols have also been known to protect cells from a physiological process known as ‘oxidative stress’ which gives rise to heart disease and cancer.
From the information above, it is easy to see why polyphenols in tea can be so beneficial to one’s health. This is probably why the presence of polyphenol forms such a vital part in the overall benefit of tea for one’s health. It has been said that tea is one of the single best fighters against cancer in your body – this is most probably due to polyphenol.
Some other scientifically recognized benefits of tea:
- Tea also contains fluoride which ensures strong teeth.
- Tea contains next to no calories.
- Only around half the amount of caffeine, present in an equal-sized cup of coffee, is present in tea.
- Tea also contains many vitamins, minerals, methylxanthines and amino acids. These components also contribute to the overall health benefits of tea and have been known to combat high blood pressure, combat infection, improve the functioning of the digestive and excretory systems, and even delay aging.
- Tea can also be an allergy fighter as the antioxidants in tea are able to block the biochemical processes involved in producing or creating an allergic response.
- Tea is also useful in preventing excessive inflammation from injury and controlling diseases such as arthritis.
- Tea has also been known to increase bone strength and decrease bad cholesterol levels.
It is certainly clear that tea in its many forms can be very beneficial to your health. The benefits of tea may give enough reason for anyone to start drinking tea on a daily basis. Many people recommend that one should drink around 2 to 4 cups of tea per day – for best results! I know many of my friends have made the switch from drinking coffee daily to drinking tea on a daily basis. The health benefits of tea may have something to do with it, but I personally have enjoyed drinking tea regularly because of the taste.
*Please note that the information in this article is not to be taken as medical advice in any way.
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