I’ve been obsessed with tea for the past year, and I think it’s about time I share my obsession with the world. I gave up on coffee. I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired after drinking it. Crashing in the middle of the afternoon with a headache and jitters is not how I like to spend my days. I started drinking tea to get my caffeine fix and I will never go back to coffee. Not to hate on coffee, I do enjoy espresso drinks from time to time, but to keep myself going throughout the day tea is the key.
The coolest thing about tea is there are SO many different varieties and flavors. Plus, it’s cheaper than coffee (bonus). Not only does tea help keep you awake, there are some teas like chamomile, that promote relaxation before you go to sleep. Each type of tea has different health benefits. Not just small health benefits, we’re talking long-term health benefits here.
Here are the 6 reasons tea is the best thing ever and why you should ditch your cup of joe:
1) ANTIOXIDANTS! – Teas have a large amount of antioxidants and may prevent the growth of many types of cancers. Tea prevents cancer! This is what WebMD has to say about green tea:
“Green tea’s antioxidants may interfere with the growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers; prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.”
2) It tastes better than coffee! – It’s way less bitter than coffee, and if you don’t like the bitter taste, add some honey (which is also good for you) to sweeten it up!
3) Caffeine Content – Black tea has the most caffeine of all types of tea. It has been found to protect lungs from the damage caused by cigarettes and also may reduce the risk of a stroke.
4) Slows down aging – No joke people, teas such as green tea have been found to work at the cellular level to slow down the process of aging.
5) Weight Loss and Cholesterol – Teas like Oolong and Pu-erh tea have been found to reduce cholestoral levels in the body. In a study done with animals, the animals that drank Pu-erh tea had less weight gain.
6) Tea helps you be calm and focused – L-theanine is a neurological amino acid that is found in green and black teas. It has been found that L-thenanine alters brain wave activity and increases ones ability to focus while also leaving them in a relaxed state. People that drink tea have also been found to have lower levels of “the stress hormone” – cortisol.
If these reasons aren’t enough to make you realize that tea is awesome, you’re wrong. Google the benefits of tea and you’ll find endless findings about tea and how much it can do for your body. Do yourself a favor and start drinking tea! If quitting coffee cold turkey is too much for you, limit the amount of coffee you drink in the morning and drink tea during the day. You won’t be disappointed!