The herbal tea market is gaining popularity and continues to grow every year. It comes in many flavors such as black, green, lemon, and jasmine, to name a few.
It can also be served hot or cold, bottled or in a cup. However, green and black teas are the top choices when it comes to the best type of tea.
People have been drinking green tea for centuries now and for a very good reason. Unlike coffee and other beverages, green tea and black tea include numerous health benefits such as it boosts the immune system, prevents you from cancer, and fights off inflammation, to name a few.
The main contrast between the two is that black tea is oxidized and green tea is not. Black tea leaves are rolled and exposed to air to trigger the oxidation process.
Black tea also includes an ingredient called the camellia sinensis plant, which is rich in bioactive compounds such as L-theanine, catechins, and caffeine which are linked to a lot of health benefits.
This process explains why black tea appears in a dark color and allows the flavors to intensify. On the other hand, green tea extract appears in a lighter color since it is processed to prevent oxidation.
Green tea contains theine and caffeine as well, which is identical to the one found in coffee. The polyphenol properties of green tea make it a great antioxidant, which removes free radicals from your body.
There’s no rule as to how many cups of tea you should drink in a day. However, The New England Journal mentioned that drinking too much black tea could harm your kidneys and give you kidney stones. So, it’s best and safe to drink tea moderately.
If you’re interested to know more about the benefits of drinking black tea and green tea, keep reading to find out.
Table of Contents
5 Health Benefits of Drinking Black and Green Tea
1. Lowers your blood pressure
Short-term research has shown that drinking tea, whether black and green tea, can lower your blood pressure.
On the other hand, it can improve your vascular reactivity, which measures how your blood vessels answer well to emotional and physical stress. Drinking black tea or green tea also reduces damaging LDL cholesterol levels.
Other health benefits linked to drinking tea can also help your blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and heart vessels.
According to Dr. Howard Sesso, an associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and associate medicine professor at Harvard Medical School, tea consists of epicatechins and catechins, which are good compound sources that are accountable for their useful health effects.
These mixtures belong to flavonoids, a group of plant elements. These help calm down inflammation, which may reduce the buildup inside the arteries. Green teas include slightly larger amounts of these compounds than black tea.
Black teas and green teas both include a good amount of caffeine, which ranges from 20 to 45 milligrams per 8-ounce cup. This is equivalent to half the amount of caffeine in the same amount of coffee.
Another study also found that regularly drinking black tea including orange pekoe varieties can boost heart health and reverse blood pressure. So if you’re searching for a way to prevent getting cardiovascular disease, you might want to start drinking black tea.
2. Protects you against cancer
We all know that cancer is not preventable, and there are over a hundred types that exist. Consuming black tea can help counteract cancer cell survival, thanks to its polyphenols. This removes free radicals from your body, making it a great antioxidant.
A test-tube study was conducted and examined the effects of polyphenols in tea on cancer cells. Results show that green and black tea contributes to the growth of cancer cells. It also decreases the development of cells.
Another study reveals the polyphenol’s effects in black tea on breast cancer can help overcome the scope of hormone-dependent breast tumors. One test-tube research also analyzed the effects of the polyphenols on cancer cells. According to the results, black tea and green tea both play a role in regulating the growth of cancer cells and reducing the development of new cancer cells.
Black tea may not be deemed as an option for cancer treatment, some studies have confirmed that black tea can help reduce cancer cells.
3. Reduces stress
If you’re looking for a stress-reliever, drinking black teas and green teas is the way to go. Drinking decaffeinated green teas can also help with situations that provoke your anxiety or encourage you to sleep soundly at night.
A study by Nutrients (2017) showed that individuals who consumed decaffeinated green teas have easily fallen asleep and felt less stressed after a week. However, the green tea supplement isn’t the only tea that can reduce stress.
Another study showed that drinking five cups of green tea each day can reduce psychological distress by up to 20 percent. Aside from green tea and black tea, oolong tea, white tea, and even purple tea can also help with relieving stress.
Researchers from the University College London (2010) have discovered that drinking black tea can also decrease stress levels after six weeks. Cortisol levels, also known as hormones that control stress, have declined significantly.
4. Helps you lose weight
If you’re looking for an alternative to help you lose weight, green tea extract can assist you in boosting your metabolism. Studies show that green tea leaves may lessen body fat, especially in the abdominal part.
Green tea is considered one of the healthiest beverages you can find. It can also serve as a weight-loss supplement, loaded with antioxidants and various plant ingredients like the camellia sinensis plant that offers you many health benefits.
One study involved more than 200 obese individuals who were monitored for 12 weeks. One group who drank green tea had significant reductions in terms of body weight, belly fat, waist circumference, and body fat percentage, unlike the other group.
On the other hand, some research and studies do not show significant progress in weight loss with green tea leaves.
Many claim that green tea can increase fat burning and lose weight with regular consumption. So, if you’re looking for a healthier way to achieve your fitness goals, you might want to start drinking green tea from now on.
Don’t forget to combine it with a well-balanced diet and doing consistent exercises.
5. Improve your brain function
Aside from keeping you alert, tea can also boost your brain function. Green and black tea includes caffeine, which is a stimulant that can also be found in coffee. However, it doesn’t contain as much in green tea but can still produce a response without giving you palpitations.
Caffeine blocks adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. This concentration of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. Studies have also revealed that it can enhance other aspects of brain function, such as reaction, memory, vigilance, and mood.
A cup of green tea contains another compound that contributes to brain function, which is the amino acid L-theanine. This ingredient crosses the blood-brain barrier and balances the effects of caffeine. According to one study, these two components may be synergistic and have better attention compared to when being used alone.
Other components that you can find in herbal teas that contribute to brain function include polyphenols, catechins, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals. These ingredients do not only fight cancer cells and boost metabolism but are also beneficial for your brain and psychological health.
Conclusion
The tea market continues to grow every year and is being admired by people from all over the world. Herbal teas come in different flavors and can be served hot or cold. However, when it comes to picking the right type of tea for achieving health benefits, green and black teas are the top choices.
We suggest you drink black tea for achieving the best results. Black tea is more oxidized, meaning it can prevent you from getting cancer, reduce your stress, improve your brain function, protect you from cardiovascular diseases, and even help you lose weight.
If you liked this article, you might want to read our other articles at ExpertFitness.org
Nathan Lloyd, MSc
LICENSED PERSONAL TRAINER
I’m a personal trainer, based in Boulder, Colorado.
I service clients physically in the Boulder area, mainly in the ONE Boulder Fitness Gym, but am also available for online consulting and coaching.
If you’re interested in my personal coaching programs, please contact me via the contact page.