For most consumers, the options in their tea cabinet likely are determined by taste preferences.
However, here are some essentials worth keeping in your tea box from the perspective of health benefits. Of course, this doesn't replace the need for a healthy diet and lifestyle but it supports and contributes to one.
(Of course, as with any food or drink, it is always helpful and important to consult with a doctor who knows your health history, medication usage, allergy profile, and relevant information that may determine whether any teas or herbal teas may not be appropiate for your health.)
1. BLACK TEA
Chances are you already have some black tea in your home because this is one of the most popular varieties, including Ceylon, Kenyan, Assam or Darjeeling.
Black tea is made from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It has a bolder flavor because the leaves are allowed to be oxidized before being dried. The tea leaves are allowed to wither and then are rolled to bruise the leaves and begin oxidation. This oxidation not only gives black tea its rich dark color (think of cutting open an apple or avocado) but also its smokier, maltier flavors.
FLAVOR PROFILE: smoky, malty, nutty, caramel, mildly fruity, spiced, earthy, astringent
SEVERAL RESEARCHED HEALTH BENEFITS:
- Sufficient evidence shows a reduced risk of heart disease at intakes of 3 or more cups per day of black tea and improved antioxidant status with even just 1 cup per day. Studies have shown it can contribute to a decrease in risk factors for heart disease such as triglyceride levels, cholesterol levels, and fasting glucose levels.
- Many studies support the understanding that some of the main compounds in black tea - polyphenols - act like prebiotics, food for healthy gut bacteria and may help maintain healthy gut bacteria populations.
- Although the exact mechanism of how this happens is beyond the scope of this article, an intriguing study in the European Journal of Cancer found that the polyphenols in black tea may help with certain types of breast tumors.
CAFFEINE CONTENT RELATIVE TO COFFEE: about half the amount of caffeine in a standard cup of coffee
RECIPE: London Fog (Earl Grey + steamed milk + lavender + a touch of honey)
2. GREEN TEA
Behold another popular tea selection.
Unlike black tea, with green tea the leaves are immediately heat-processed to prevent the oxidation that occurs with black tea. Some varieties are even pan fried to release a nutty, toasty flavor. Varieties include sencha, genmaicha, hojicha, or dragonwell, to name a few.
FLAVOR PROFILE: grassy, earthy, delicate, toasty
SEVERAL RESEARCHED HEALTH BENEFITS:
- One of the most researched contents of green tea is epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG for short. Green tea is rich with EGCG. This antioxidant has shown anticancer potential but more research is still needed.
- Its most promising benefits has to do with heart disease. Green tea flavanoids prevent the oxidation of LDL (or bad) cholesterol (which can lead to atherosclerosis) and may reduce blood clotting. It may significantly reduce blood pressure.
Caffeine content relative to coffee: about one fourth the amount of caffeine in a standard cup of coffee
RECIPE: Green tea + raw honey + lemon
RECIPE: Mint Chocolate Green Tea Protein Shake (Mint green tea + chocolate flavored EnergyFirst whey protein isolate powder + ice + yogurt)
3. MATCHA GREEN TEA
While this is technically a green tea, we give it a separate section because it is a form of tea in which you do not simply infuse the water with the tea leaves but you actually ingest the entire leaves in powdered form.
That being said, you can only imagine how many more antioxidants you are consuming by ingesting the entire leaf as opposed to simply infusing water with them.
FLAVOR PROFILE: grassy, nutty, thick, delicate, sweet
SEVERAL RESEARCHED HEALTH BENEFITS:
- Because you are drinking the entire leaf, this tea is uniquely high in fiber.
- Matcha tea offers higher levels of green tea phytochemicals compared to regular green tea.
RECIPE: The nice thing about matcha tea powder is you can put it in anything, from smoothies and shakes to baked foods.
References
Gardner, E. J., Ruxton, C. H., & Leeds, A. R. (2007). Black tea--helpful or harmful? A review of the evidence. European journal of clinical nutrition, 61(1), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602489
Bahorun, T., Luximon-Ramma, A., Neergheen-Bhujun, V. S., Gunness, T. K., Googoolye, K., Auger, C., Crozier, A., & Aruoma, O. I. (2012). The effect of black tea on risk factors of cardiovascular disease in a normal population. Preventive medicine, 54 Suppl, S98–S102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.12.009
Liu, YC., Li, XY. & Shen, L. Modulation effect of tea consumption on gut microbiota. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 104, 981–987 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-019-10306-2
Way, T. D., Lee, H. H., Kao, M. C., & Lin, J. K. (2004). Black tea polyphenol theaflavins inhibit aromatase activity and attenuate tamoxifen resistance in HER2/neu-transfected human breast cancer cells through tyrosine kinase suppression. European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990), 40(14), 2165–2174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejca.2004.06.018
Du, G. J., Zhang, Z., Wen, X. D., Yu, C., Calway, T., Yuan, C. S., & Wang, C. Z. (2012). Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) is the most effective cancer chemopreventive polyphenol in green tea. Nutrients, 4(11), 1679–1691. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu4111679
Khalesi S, Sun J, Buys N, Jamshidi A, Nikbakht-Nasrabadi E, Khosravi-Boroujeni H. Green tea catechins and blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Eur J Nutr. 2014;53(6):1299-1311.
Arab L, Khan F, Lam H. Tea consumption and cardiovascular disease risk. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;98(6 Suppl):1651S-1659S.
Tang J, Zheng JS, Fang L, Jin Y, Cai W, Li D. Tea consumption and mortality of all cancers, CVD and all causes: a meta-analysis of eighteen prospective cohort studies. Br J Nutr. 2015;114(5):673-683.