By now, most of us know that green tea is a beverage that has a slew of health benefits, but that doesn’t mean the other teas aren’t good for you. Let’s take a look at black tea.
What is Black Tea?
Black tea won’t be as black as, say, a cup of coffee. It instead gets its name from its leaves. These leaves come from camellia sinesis, a bush. Originally, this bush has leaves that are green, but through oxidation, the leaves become dark. It’s not true black; more of a darkish brown, but it still warrants the name. When the leaves are green, that’s what makes green tea. Therefore, black tea has quite a few similarities to green tea, but there’s still a big difference.
The Health Benefits of Black Tea
Just like green tea, black tea has many health benefits. These include:
Energy
These types of tea contain caffeine, a substance that needs no introduction. However, one that does need introduction is theophylline, which can increase alertness and your heart rate. When you’re feeling like you’re dragging all day, some black tea may just be the thing you need.
How much caffeine is in a cup can vary, but it’s usually around 50-90 mg. In comparison, your average cup of coffee contains around 95 mg.
Antioxidants
You may have heard that certain foods are good because they contain antioxidants, but you may not have a clue what they are. Simply put, antioxidants help protect your cells. Free radicals, which are molecules that have lost all stability, can attack your cells, and antioxidants help protect against that. Some antioxidants may be beneficial in the fight against cancer. Of course, black tea isn’t magic, and more research is needed, but there is some research that shows promise towards certain kinds of cancers, like ovarian.
Good for the Heart
These antioxidants continue to have benefits. For example, they may help reduce your risk of clogged arteries, and this benefit increases if you’re female. This means that you could have a reduced risk of a heart attack.
Of course, seeing as how black tea can speed up your heart, there may be some natural concerns about its benefits. Rest assured, the benefits of black tea far outweigh the risks. While your blood pressure may go up, it’s only temporary, and black tea doesn’t cause your blood pressure to rise over time.
Other Benefits
Black tea is packed with vitamins, minerals, and other substances that are a part of a healthy lifestyle. It’s not magic; it’s no weight loss cure and it won’t make you immortal, but black tea is healthy, easy to make, affordable, and best of all, tasty.
What Are The Differences Between Green and Black Tea?
As mentioned, green and black tea do come from the same source, but black tea uses more oxidization. So does that change make any differences between the two?
There are quite a few similarities, but there are some differences as well. These include:
- The taste. Black tea may have a bit of a sweeter taste to it, while green tea has a more natural flavor to it. Some people like the sweet taste, and others like the “greener” flavor off green tea. It all depends on you and what you want.
- Both have similar health benefits, but black tea’s antioxidants differ slightly. In addition, green tea has more proven benefits, such as cancer and heart disease reduction. Green tea may have more health benefits due to less oxidization.
- Cost. Green tea may cost slightly more than black tea, but for most, the price difference is not that significant and shouldn’t make them want to pick black tea. However, tighter budgets may gravitate towards black tea.
Are There Any Risks of Drinking Black Tea?
Black tea is similar to coffee, where if you have a few cups a day, it may good for you, but too much can cause problems. These problems include:
- Risks related to too much caffeine consumption. You may feel more anxious, can’t sleep if you drank too much close to bedtime, urinate more, and have a headache. You could feel nervous and restless, too.
- These effects may increase if you combine the black tea with other caffeine types, or with ephedra. You may feel jittery, and in rare instances, have a seizure.
- With any substance, always talk to your doctor if you have any medications you are taking. Some of these may affect how they’re absorbed by you, and you don’t want that. In most cases, the black tea shouldn’t affect you, but you can never be so sure.
How to Prepare it
Making black tea isn’t too different from any other tea; in fact, it’s usually easier. Every cup, have 1 tsp of leaves ready. Boil some water, put the leaves in there, and let them steep for about 2-6 minutes. The length depends on your tastes. Also, depending on the type of tea, they may have a different time recommended. Make sure to strain the leaves out, then serve, adding anything else you desire.
Conclusion
Black tea is great for your physical health and can mentally give you a boost as well. However, therapy is the solution for extreme depression or anxiety. If you need help, click this link:
https://www.betterhelp.com/start/
Author Bio – Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
