“Life is like a cup of tea, it’s all in how you make it.”
Everyone needs that early morning boost–and in college, we often need that late morning, afternoon and even nighttime boost to get through a long day of classes and endless hours of studying. Most people turn to coffee, but what about tea? Besides the fact that there are countless flavors of tea made with delicious tastes from exotic spices to vanilla, there are also heaps of health benefits that come along with drinking tea.
Energy Boost: The most obvious factor. Unlike coffee, which has high caffeine content, tea has slightly lower amounts of caffeine that can help enhance blood flow to the brain without over-stimulating the heart. It also stimulates metabolism, respiratory system, heart, and kidneys–a great kick-start for your tired body in the morning.
White Teeth: Studies suggest that black tea reduces plaque formation as well as restricts bacteria growth that lead to cavities and tooth decays.
Stress Relief: Not only does it help slow you down after a long day, studies show that the amino acids found in black tea can help you relax and concentrate better. Black tea has also been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol when consumed in moderate amounts on a regular basis.
Fight the Flu: Black tea contains agents that help boost our immune response and have the ability to fight commonly found viruses in our everyday lives.
Antioxidants: Black tea contains antioxidants that help block DNA damage associated with tobacco or other toxic chemicals. These antioxidants are different from those obtained from fruits and vegetables and can provide additional benefits towards a healthy body.
Lower Risk of Diabetes: Based on a research study conducted of elderly people living in the Mediterranean islands it was discovered that people that had been consuming black tea on a long-term basis on a moderate level (1-2 cups a day) had a 70% lower chance of having or developing type 2 diabetes.
Cancer Prevention: Research over the years suggests that antioxidants in tea may help prevent different types of cancer. Also, women who drink black tea regularly have a lower chance of ovarian cancer.
Weight Loss: Besides boosting your metabolism, a study in the Obesity Research Journal suggests that green tea extracts may actually interfere with fat formation in the body. Green tea extracts should not be confused with bottled green tea drinks that may be full of added sugar. To get green tea extracts boil some water with a good old-fashioned teabag or loose tea.
Skincare: Green tea can help with wrinkles and signs of aging because of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Studies have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s: Studies carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells. It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Healthy Heart: In a 2009 research paper, researchers found that individuals who consume 3 or more cups of tea had a 21% lower risk of a stroke than people who consume less than 1 cup of green or black tea per day.
Depression: Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves and is a substance thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect.
Strong Bones: It has also been suggested that regular tea drinkers have stronger bones and lower probability of developing arthritis due to the phytochemicals found in tea.