Tea is 2nd most post popular beverage next to water. All types of tea are derived from the leaves of the Camellia sinesis plant. The different types of tea are produced by processing or oxidizing of the tea leaves. In its unadulterated form, freshly brewed tea offers a multitude of health benefits, some commonly known and others you might be surprised to learn.
Does Tea Help with Concentration?
Research has shown that green tea helps boost concentration in two ways. The most commonly known way is by giving the drinker a caffeine fix, which awakens us and enhances our ability to focus on tasks. Additionally, green tea contains l’theanine. This compound works to give a big surge to alpha wave activity. Essentially, this acts to control how the caffeine is distributed to the body, creating a longer lasting ability to concentrate instead of one quick burst that leads to a crash a short time later.
How Does Tea Affect Weight Loss?
There's no denying that drinking tea does help with weight management. First of all, if you're switching from soda or coffee, you're dropping whatever calories, fats, and sugars were contained in those beverages. This is especially true, if you drink your tea unaltered. Also, it has been found that green tea in particular boosts the level of energy expended in a 24 hour period. Fat oxidation is also enhanced. In one study, it was found that the waist circumference of test subjects was reduced by 4.5% after just three months of tea drinking.
Tea Reduces the Risk of Developing Disease
Tea is widely known to reduce the risk of heart disease by enhancing lipid oxidation and boosting blood vessel functioning. Additionally, tea is believed to prevent cancer by fighting abnormal cell functioning. The properties in tea inhibit abnormal cellular growth and increased immune system functioning.
How Much Tea Does it Take to Observe Results?
Results can be effected with just a few cups of tea per day. Drinking three cups of black tea per day reduces the risks of heart disease and stroke, while 6 cups daily have been shown to lower levels of serum cholesterol and drop triglycerides. Also, four cups of tea per day lowered the risk of developing atherosclerosis by 69%.
Are There Adverse Side Effects to Drinking Tea?
The biggest side effect to drinking tea is the caffeine content. Though the level of caffeine in tea varies based on the manufacturer and the type of tea, most kinds have between 14 to 60 mg. Although this is much lower than the caffeine content of coffee and soda, it's still enough that it may affect sleep and compound problems for those suffering from anxiety.
In rare cases, too much tea drinking can result in skeletal fluorosis. This is a medical condition marked by bone damage and bone pain. However, this only occurs in rare instances, where tea consumption is excessive. While the risks and side effects of drinking tea are minimal, the benefits are too numerous to fully list. Even as research continues to uncover new information about this miracle beverage, millions of tea drinkers are already enjoying the benefits. Available in a wide variety of flavors, tea provides pleasure and improved health at a low cost.