The fact that drinking tea brings many health benefits is not a new piece of information. Indeed, as far back as 2735 BC, tea leaves were consumed with boiled water and were enjoyed by thousands of people. The Chinese Emperor Shennong was a particular fan of this drink and took great joy in mixing it with other flavors to find the one most suited to his taste. Granted, legend has it that he only did this to counteract the regular assassination attempts via poisoning, but it seemed that the tea he drank did a lot to prolong his life.
While you are unlikely to be drinking loose-leaf tea today to counteract poison, there are many health benefits to having this drink as part of a healthy balanced diet. And this article aims to explore this in a bit more depth, so enjoy!
Bigger Leaves: More Benefits
Think of a teabag. It is a bag that is crunchy and has crushed and broken leaves inside it. This is fine for making a standard cup of tea, but as they are leaves, when they are crushed or damaged, a lot of the oils that create the taste and all of the health benefits are lost.
By drinking loose-leaf tea from a reputable tea company, you will be consuming tea brewed from larger leaves, meaning all of the antioxidants and helpful oils will be better preserved.
Increased Polyphenols And Catechins
Tea leaves are high in polyphenols, providing that they are not crushed or broken down. Similarly, tea leaves are also high in catechins. Why is this important? Because both have been found to inhibit bacteria growth and can inhibit the growth of cancerous cells.
As well as this, polyphenols have been found to be inhibitors of some antiviral agents—meaning that if you consume loose-leaf tea regularly, you are less likely to catch viruses.
Reduced Bad Cholesterol
There is bad cholesterol and good cholesterol. Bad cholesterol is high in lipoproteins, one of which is LDL. This is the building block of the cholesterol that clogs up arteries, leading to issues with the heart and other areas of the body. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted a meta-analysis exploring the benefits of tea in the reduction of cholesterol and found a link. So, if you regularly consume tea, there is less of a chance that you will develop bad cholesterol, thus helping your heart health.
Reduced Blood Pressure
Most people drink tea and coffee to help them feel awake, as both contain natural amounts of caffeine, which is a stimulant. It may seem odd to then suggest that tea reduces blood pressure, but it does!
Loose-leaf tea increases the flexibility and the diameter of the arteries to the point where if you are consuming heart medication, it may become ineffective if you drink tea regularly.
Reduced Chance Of Developing Diabetes
In this instance, it only applies if you drink tea that has no added sugar to it! But, a study performed in Japan found that those who drank up to six cups of tea a day were nearly 40% less likely to develop diabetes.
