It’s simple to overlook the fact that a simple cup of tea can provide a wealth of health advantages. With so many different types of tea available worldwide, you’ll never run out of options when it comes to this beverage. The majority of tea kinds you’ll discover on grocery store shelves or online are also healthy options.
Put simply, tea is a very healthful beverage that you should consume every day, whether you prefer it hot or cold. But which types of tea are the healthiest to have on a regular basis? These are the tea varieties with the most remarkable nutritional value, health advantages, and uses.
Two Primary Types of Tea
Broadly speaking, there are two main forms of tea: herbal teas and “true” or camellia teas, and each variety offers a unique profile of health effects. According to Rachelle Robinett, registered herbalist (AHG) and creator of Pharmakon Supernatural and HRBLS, “both major types of tea provide beneficial nutrients and phytochemicals that enhance health in a vast variety of ways, perfect for everyday drinking.”
Herbal Teas
Any tea made from plants, including fruits, grains, flowers, spices, roots, and herbs, is considered a herbal tea. This covers choices such as licorice root tea, rose hip tea, chamomile tea, ginger tea, cinnamon tea, turmeric tea, and fennel tea.
Teas Made with Camellias
Teas made exclusively from the Camellia sinensis plant are known as camellia teas. This shrub yields black, green, white, and oolong teas in addition to red, pu-erh, and yellow teas, depending on how the leaves are picked and processed.
Best Teas to Sip on a Daily Basis
The healthiest tea selections you can make are listed here, along with the reasons for each choice’s superior health benefits.
Dark Tea
Black tea is one of the most popular types of tea, and you probably have some in your pantry right now. Black tea has undergone the longest oxidation of any camellia tea, and compared to its relatives, its leaves are frequently split into smaller pieces. Because of this, black teas have a stronger, richer flavour and contain more caffeine—47 mg per 8 ounces, or almost half as much as a cup of coffee.
Because it is high in several phytonutrients, particularly theaflavin, black tea has numerous health benefits in addition to providing a caffeine-induced energy boost. The polyphenolic chemicals in black tea have a beneficial effect on cholesterol and blood pressure, supporting heart health. Additionally, they support improved metabolic, immunological, gastrointestinal, and brain health.
Tea with Ginger and Turmeric
Turmeric and ginger tea is becoming more and more common, and for good reason! “The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric stem from its curcumin content, whereas gingerols present in ginger contribute to pain alleviation and improved digestive health,” says Robinett. With a hint of honey, this naturally caffeine-free tea blend is a delicious way to begin, end, or transition through your day.
Verdant Tea
Green tea is another type of camellia tea; unlike black tea, its leaves usually get less broken up and experience less oxidation. Green tea has about 30 mg of caffeine per cup, which is less than that of black tea. Matcha tea is a strong type of green tea that has more caffeine than other varieties but less caffeine than coffee. Green tea’s delicate, earthy, flowery flavour complements both savoury and sweet foods that you may be snacking on. Beyond its delicious flavour, green tea offers a plethora of health advantages. Bioactive substances found in it include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), kaempferol, quercetin, and catechins. To just a few, these antioxidants support improved metabolic, gastrointestinal, cardiac, and immune system health.
Tea with Lemons
Any type of tea with lemon flavouring is excellent for drinking on a daily basis, whether you choose lemon verbena tea or just hot water with lemon juice or zest added. Vitamin C, which is found in lemons, strengthens immunity and reduces inflammation. According to Robinett, “limonene, a terpene found in citrus, has notable antidepressant activity.” This implies that similar advantages will also be provided by any other tea with citrus added, such as orange pekoe.
White Tea
The least oxidised variety of camellia teas is white tea, which has a milder, grassy, green flavour and a more delicate flavour. Though the amount might vary from five to fifty milligrammes per cup based on a number of criteria such as kind, brand, leaf size, steeping temperature, and steeping time, it typically contains fifteen percent less caffeine than green tea. White tea has similar health advantages to black and green tea since it contains many of the same components. Like the other camellia teas, it also includes l-theanine, an amino acid that benefits heart, immunological, and cognitive health. It has been discovered that white tea may help with skin health and wound healing.
Tea with Hibiscus
Hibiscus tea is a popular herbal tea due to its acidic sweetness and vivid pink colour. It also lacks caffeine. According to Robinett, hibiscus is a nutrient-rich tea that has remarkable metabolic benefits, largely because it stabilises blood sugar. “It has high levels of quercetin and rutin, which are useful in treating allergies and restoring normal function to mast cells.” According to research, hibiscus tea can help heart health by controlling cholesterol and blood pressure.
Tea with Earl Grey
Earl Grey, a traditional British tea, is a black tea infused with bergamot oil. Citrus fruits like bergamot, which resemble Meyer lemons and have carminative properties, “stimulates natural digestive enzyme production and relaxes muscles in the digestive tract to ease cramps, gas or bloating,” according to Robinett. With the same wonderful advantages as citrus and other black teas, this unique and soothing black blend tea has a caffeine concentration comparable to ordinary black tea.
Mint Tea
While peppermint and spearmint are two of the many varieties of mint tea that are available, they all generally have the same health advantages. “Nootropics, which are found in mint teas, help improve cognitive functions like memory, focus, and concentration,” according to Robinett. These caffeine-free teas have carminative properties that help relieve cough and sinus infection symptoms, as well as bloating and other digestive issues.
oolong tea
In terms of oxidation, caffeine level, and flavour intensity, oolong tea, another variety of camellia tea, is positioned in between green and black teas. But it combines the health advantages of both types, delivering a wealth of phytonutrients and other substances to promote immunological, metabolic, gastrointestinal, and heart health with every sip. Its leaves are frequently larger than those of black tea, and depending on the variety, it might have a more full-bodied flavour or a fresh, light flavour.
Tea with Chamomile
Most likely, you are familiar with chamomile because of its reputation for promoting rest and sleep at night. All true, and you can savour chamomile at any time of day! That is to say, it doesn’t include any ingredients that make you feel sleepy or drowsy. It promotes tranquilly and digestion as a nervine and carminative. It has been shown that chamomile contains anti-inflammatory, metabolic, and immune-boosting properties in addition to helping to reduce the symptoms of anxiety.
Advice on Purchasing Tea
When making a purchase, Robinett advises “buying the best quality tea that’s accessible to you—the value of high-quality ingredients is worth it.” Herbalism is both an art and a science, and the goods created by knowledgeable people will benefit you the most.
When it comes to tea, she advises thinking about herbalist-made, organic, and locally grown options. Additionally, she suggests companies like Pukka Herbs, Mountain Rose Herbs, Rishi Tea, Arbour Teas, Gaia Herbs, and Traditional Medicinals.
