Tea is commonly drunk the world over. Black tea is in the caffeine group belonging to coffee and can be just as addictive.
Green tea could be up to five times healthier when a dash of lemon juice is added- Kathryn Borg
It is confusing, especially now, as there are so many different types of tea on the market, which ones are better for you? I hope to unravel the mystery so you can make your own choice.
Tea is a name given to many brews, but purists consider only those derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, a shrub native to China and India, as the real thing. There are different types – green, black, white and oolong being the most common. They are the result of the different methods by which the fresh leaves of C. sinensis are transformed into dried leaves for brewing.
Once picked, tea leaves immediately being to wilt and oxidize. This is a process known as fermentation within the tea world.
Depending on how long the tea is allowed to ferment will determine the outcome of the leaves; they could end up as black tea – from leaves that are fully wilted and fully fermented; they could ultimately be white tea – from leaves that are wilted but unfermented; or they could be oolong tea – from leaves that are wilted and partly fermented.
Green tea, however, is produced from leaves that are unwilted and unfermented (hence why green tea is regarded as more healthy).
Due to the fact that green and white tea have less processing, these brews are richest in disease-fighting catechins. Fermentation leads to the levels of catechins decreasing. A process you should take note of is that to decaffeinate tea reduces the amount of catechins in both black and green dry teas by about 15 times and three times respectively.
Green tea is the most scientifically researched type of tea and, some say, it is, therefore, well deserving of its healthy image. The studies have suggested that it can lower blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of heart disease-related death, prevent age-related bone loss and reduce fractures.
Studies have also suggested it can cut the risk of type II diabetes, help with weight loss and fat loss, reduce tooth decay and prevent gum disease and finally prevent, and even treat, certain types of cancer, including blood, liver, lung and prostate cancers.
I am not looking at herbal infusions. Despite them being extremely healthy, they are not really classed as ‘tea’. I am trying to help with an understanding of the different types of tea we are all faced with in the supermarket. For example, what is white tea? How does it differ from black tea?
White tea is a speciality of the Fujian province of China; it is unfermented with a light delicate flavour. Rich in catechins, it has powerful antioxidant, anti-cancer and immune boosting properties and may also be useful in the fight against ageing (J. Food Sci., 2010).
At a recent study taking place at Kingston University, London, they tested a freeze dried powder extract of the tea on human skin cells. The results showed that white tea prevented the actions of the enzymes that break down elastin and collagen which can lead to wrinkles.
These enzymes, together with oxidants, are also associated with inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer (J. Inflamm. Lond., 2011).
Many other studies reflect positive results for drinking white tea ranging from reducing the risk of cancer to triggering the breakdown of fat cells.
Black tea has various health benefits too. However, if you add milk to your tea you may be destroying some of the drink’s health benefits.
In a German study, drinking black tea significantly improved the ability of the arteries to relax and expand to keep blood pressure healthy. The addition of milk to the tea, as a result of the milk proteins called ‘caseins’, eliminated these effects completely (Eur. Heart J., 2007).
Oolong tea is popular in East Asian countries such as China and Japan. It offers similar health benefits to green tea. One benefit appears to be weight loss.
In a study conducted in China, drinking this tea was found to reduce body fat and weight after six weeks, which the researchers said was down to improved fat metabolism (Chin. J. Integr. Med., 2009).
Oolong also appears to have a positive effect on the brain, probably due to the amount of caffeine it contains. However, a study reported that those taking part scored better on mental performance tests such as memory and attention when compared to non-tea drinkers and those who drank coffee (J. Nutr. Health Ageing, 2010).
The main issue is what to add to your tea to serve it, as there appears to be no doubt that adding the wrong substance can totally eliminate any useful, beneficial heath properties.
One study found that green tea could be up to five times healthier when a dash of lemon juice is added. While eliminating sugar, artificial sweeteners, and milk is advised.
A study published in The British Medical Journal reported that drinking tea hot (65˚C or higher) was associated with a significantly greater risk of oesophageal cancer compared with drinking it warm or lukewarm.
So your regular cup of tea is not as simple as you once thought and given that many people imbibe cups numbering double figures on a daily basis, it may be a good idea to look again at your consumption.
kathryn@maltanet.net