Ten health benefits from drinking tea

Black tea, green tea, oolong tea, herbal tea - just some of the different teas many of us enjoy drinking at any time of the day. People from all over the world have been drinking tea for thousands of years and the practice dates back as far as 2700 BC in China.   

Brewing tea may seem like a simple process – the leaves of the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) are picked and dried. But then things can get a little more complex. A variety of methods such as fermenting, withering, warming, baking, rolling and aging can be used to vary the oxidation rate of the leaves as they dry. This ultimately gives a wide variety of flavours, appearance, and smell – and this is how we end up with the different types of tea. 

Of course, as the name suggests, herbal teas come from a wide variety of herbs and while the commercially available herbal teas all come in dried form, many herbal tea enthusiasts enjoy steeping freshly picked herbs such as mint or camomile. Strictly speaking though, these plant infusions aren’t technically “tea”. 

If you’re not overly fond of tea for its taste alone, there are loads of health benefits to be gained from that daily cuppa – so maybe it’s time to swap that morning coffee for a cup of freshly brewed tea. According to Time Health, here’s why it’s so good for you: 

1. Tea could help reduce the risk of heart attack and might also help protect against cardiovascular and degenerative diseases. It is said that green tea in particular is the best variety to prevent heart attacks. Tea can potentially improve the blood flow around the body, by widening key arteries and reducing the risk of clots. Tea also contains antioxidants called ‘flavonoids’, which may slow down the onset and risk of heart disease. 

2. Tea lowers the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease in both men and women. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and degenerative neurological disease characterised by the loss of neurons in the brain. This disease tends to develop after the age of 50 and affects approximately six million people worldwide. 

3. Drinking a cup of hot tea at least once a day may be linked to a significantly lower risk of developing the serious eye condition, glaucoma - finds a small study published by the British Journal of Ophthalmology. 

4. Tea may help prevent diabetes. There is some evidence to suggest that green tea might help to lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. 

5. Green tea can help maintain a healthy weight. Some studies have suggested that regular tea drinking can help to keep body fat down by speeding up the burning of calories. If nothing else, it’s less fattening than sipping on a soft drink, so you’re on your way to a faster weight loss journey with a cup of tea. 

6. Tea prevents tooth decay, and believe it or not, a regular supply of tea can really strengthen your teeth and lower the risk of deterioration. Tea is also a great source of fluoride, which can bolster tooth enamel. The antioxidants contained within a cuppa have also been known to fight against bacteria and gum disease. 

7. Tea hydrates the body, and although water is the prime fluid for rehydrating the body after exercise or a long day in the office, some trials have found that drinking tea could be equally useful. Although high in caffeine, tea is still great for hydration as it provides a rich and flavoursome source of water. 

8. Boost your memory power with tea – a study by the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne found that certain types of tea, such as green tea, can strengthen memory cells in the brain, and offer protection from the development of dementia and even Alzheimer’s Disease 😊.

9. Tea can also lower stress hormone levels. Decaffeinated green tea in particular can reduce the effects of stressful events by lowering the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. 

10. Tea aids your body’s ability to digest foods. Tea has been used for thousands of years as an after-meal digestive aid. It can also help relieve stomach cramps so the next time you overindulge at lunch or dinner, wash it down with a healthy cup of tea. 

There you have it! Whether you like your tea cold or hot, it’s definitely a smart decision to add some cuppas to your day. 

Want to find out more? 

The tea resurgence is evidenced by the plethora of tea shops that have sprung up in most major shopping centres, so places like T2 and The Tea Centre are a good place to start if you want to understand more about all of the different varieties of tea that are available. If you really want to immerse yourself in tea culture though, you might want to plan a trip over to the UK, where t-lovers host a number of tea-related events and ceremonies to educate and celebrate all that’s great about tea.  

If you need a little financial assistance to make it happen, just check out our flexible mini-loans to $5K to find out how quick and easy it is to get your hands on some extra funds. Once a loan is approved, we can usually deposit the cash into your bank account within a few hours - so you can put the kettle on and start planning your new tea journey today!