Introduction
According to observational research, drinking two-three cups of tea daily lowers the chance of early death, heart problems, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. However, consuming excessively hot tea may increase the risk of intestinal and stomach cancers. Controlled trials are required to determine whether these positive and negative associations are causal. Tea consumption currently poses low risk, except for an increased hot tea intake.
What Is Tea?
Tea is now the most popular drink after water. It is a straightforward preparation that involves drizzling hot water over dried camellia Sinensis plant leaves. In the third century AD, tea was first used as a medicinal drink in China. Its popularity quickly spread across continents. The idea of afternoon tea, a break from one's routine in which tea is served along with sandwiches and baked goods like scones, gained popularity in Great Britain at the beginning of the 19th century. The flavor of the tea depends on where, how, and under what conditions tea leaves are cultivated and processed. Green and white tea are the next most popular types of tea after black tea worldwide. Herbal teas, unlike traditional teas, are not manufactured from the camellia plant but rather from dried fruit, roots, seeds, herbs, spices, flowers, or leaves of other plants. They typically do not contain caffeine.
How Does Tea Act as an Antioxidant?
-
Flavonoids (fruits, vegetables, grains, bark, roots, stems, flowers, tea, and wine all contain a class of natural compounds with varying phenolic structures), or polyphenols (a substance that has multiple aromatic hydrogen bonds), are probably a major factor in what creates tea a healthy drink. These substances work as antioxidants (a substance that eliminates potentially harmful oxidizing agents from a living organism, like vitamin C or E) to limit the harmful impact of free radicals on the body. By depriving DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of its electrons, free radicals can cause harmful changes to health, such as an increase in LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol or changes in cell membrane traffic. Although studies have shown that, except for decaffeinated tea, all plain teas have roughly the same levels of these chemicals. However, in different proportions, green tea is frequently thought to be higher in polyphenols than black or oolong (red) teas. Black tea has the most theaflavins, while green tea has the most epigallocatechin-3 gallate (an ingredient in green tea that is being investigated to prevent cancer and various other diseases) have been shown in studies to have health benefits. Herbal teas also contain polyphenols, but the amount varies greatly depending on the type of plant used.
-
Indeed, the wide variety of tea with varying flavonoid contents may be one cause of the contradictory results in observational studies. Specific flavonoid content can be changed depending on where the tea leaves are cultivated, the blend of tea leaves, the type of processing, and the addition of ingredients like milk, honey, and lemon. Other details that need to be clarified because they may affect study results include how accurately people report their tea consumption, for example, type, amount, drink strength, and overall diet.
-
According to some studies, milk's protein and fat may lessen tea's antioxidant power. This theory is logical because flavonoids are known to "deactivate" when they bind to proteins.
-
According to one study that examined the effects of consuming tea with skim, semi-skim, and whole milk, skim milk significantly decreased the antioxidant property of tea. Higher-fat milk also lessened tea's antioxidant capacity, though not as significantly. It is crucial to remember in everyday life that tea, even tea with a bit of milk, can be a healthy drink.
What Are the Types of Tea?
There are more than 3000 different types of tea, each with unique qualities. Teas' naming and growing are similar to wine in many ways. Many teas are named after the region in which they are grown. For instance, Yunnan tea is named after the Chinese province, and Assam tea is named after the Indian region of Assam. Similar to wine, the flavor characteristics of tea are determined by its growing region, climate, soil, and processing methods. Although there are thousands of different kinds of tea, there are five main categories that can be used to classify them black, white, green, oolong pu-erh, and yellow.
-
Black Tea - Black tea, also known as red tea outside of China due to the reddish color of the liquor, is processed using the same fundamental five steps as oolong tea. The distinction is that it has given more time to oxidize fully. Although it is only 90 to 95 % oxidized, it could be fully oxidized. Young leaves are selected and crushed completely by hand rolling or mechanical means to release the enzymes. Polyphenolic compounds form by oxidizing (chemically combining with oxygen) due to these essential oils' reaction with oxygen in the air, making the tea richer, fuller, and stronger. Black teas are widely used iced tea bases because they blend well with milk and sugar. The strongest flavors are available from them, and they combine effectively with other ingredients to create flavored teas.
-
White Tea - White tea is just tea in its purest form. One can see white fuzzy "bottom" on the newly opened bud on the leaf with a closer look. The producer will select the tea bush's most recent growth to avoid damaging the plant. Then it is allowed to "solar wither," just setting it in the sun and letting it dry slightly. Because it can take a day or two to air dry these tea leaves, some slight natural oxidation, perhaps five to ten percent, can occur. White tea, when brewed, yield a light yellow or green liquor. The flavored liquid is liquor and contains the most delicate flavor and aroma.
-
Green Tea - Plucked, worn down, and pressed, green tea is not oxidized since, during the spinning process, oxidation is avoided by applying heat. The procedure must be carefully carried out. Typically, the bud and first two leaves have been selected by hand to avoid bruising, which is unnecessary because it can lead to oxidation. The leaves are quickly transported back to the processing environment, where they can slightly fade away. After that, the leaves are steamed for Japanese green tea or pan-fired for Chinese green tea. Heat is used in both techniques to stop oxidation. Countless patterns, each with a distinctive flavor, are created by rolling and spinning the leaves. The liquor is typically green or yellow and can have a variety of flavors, from toasty and nutty (pan-fried) to fresher and steam heated.
-
Oolong Tea - Oolong tea is labor-intensive because it requires all five fundamental production steps, with rolling and oxidizing done repeatedly. The leaves are selected when they are slightly larger; occasionally, two or three leaves are selected. They are rolled, given time to rest and oxidize, rolled again, allowed to do so while being heated to slow the oxidation process, and so on. Oolong can be oxidized from 15 to 80 %, falling between green and black tea. Oolongs are the best choice for individuals new to drinking loose-leaf tea. The flavors are richer, and more complex than green or white, and have a smooth, soft sourness. Due to the wide variety of oxidation permitted, they have diverse flavors.
-
Yellow Tea - The most uncommon variety of tea is yellow. It goes through a similar process as green tea, but the leaves are dried more slowly to give them a yellow color. The tea's mild flavor frequently falls between white and green teas.
What Are the Benefits of Tea?
People have consumed tea for thousands of years worldwide and for a good reason. According to numerous studies, various teas may boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, and even fend off cancer and heart disease.
-
It improves sleep, relieves stress, and reduces menstruation pain and muscle cramps.
-
It increases the good cholesterol while decreasing LDL (bad) cholesterol, keeps skin healthy and hair strong, and relieves allergy symptoms. It Helps to improve blood pressure and circulation.
-
It contains menthol, a natural remedy for motion sickness, irritable bowel syndrome, and constipation that can calm an upset stomach. This particular tea variety also provides relief from migraines and tension headaches.
-
It fights morning sickness, can be utilized to treat chronic indigestion, and relieves osteoarthritis-related joint pain.
-
The hibiscus used in tea reduces blood pressure and fat levels, improves the overall health of the liver, can curb the desire for unhealthy sweets, and may prevent kidney stone formation.
Conclusion
Due to its unique sociocultural characteristics, a wide range of health benefits, and pleasing sensory qualities, tea is the most popular drink besides water. According to the varying degrees of fermentation, tea can typically be divided into six categories: green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea, and dark tea. Increasing clinical research has shown that tea can treat and prevent oxidative stress-related illnesses like type 2 diabetes, cancer, liver disease, and neurological problems.
