Many teas provide health benefits including having anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Teas have been used as herbal remedies for thousands of years. But the more processed that a tea is, it’s many compounds may potentially become destroyed. Processing includes things such as sun-drying, sieving, steam pasteurization and fermentation. Therefore, buying high-quality tea leaves and brewing them with an infuser, ensures that you are benefiting as much as you possibly can. In addition, the best teas for your health are organic or come from pristine growing areas.
Green Tea
Green, black and oolong tea are all part of the same species called Camellia sinensis. Growing conditions greatly affect the quality of the resulting tea. The processing of the leaves plays the biggest role in the creation of the three types of teas. The length of time they are processed dictates the color, taste and nutrient content of the different varieties of tea.
Green tea is the least processed of the three teas coming from the Camellia sinensis plant. And of the 3, it has the highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity) value. Green tea is rich in a plant phenol and anti-oxidant known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG. This anti-oxidant is thought by most to be responsible for the health benefits linked to green tea consumption. It is considered to be one hundred times more potent than vitamin C and twenty-four times stronger than vitamin E. The powerful ability to scavenge free radicals makes green tea one of the best teas to drink.
Matcha Tea
From a nutritional perspective, the best type of green tea is matcha tea. Research has shown that some matcha teas have many more times the the amount of anti-oxidant compounds as a standard brewed green tea. Matcha tea is shade grown during the last 3 to 4 weeks before harvest. The stems and veins are removed during processing which involves grinding the rest of the leaves into a fine powder. The most expensive matcha is often stone ground, rather than being pulverized into powder using an industrial machine. Matcha tea is expensive and comes in different grades. Ceremonial matcha teas are the best and most expensive. They come from the first harvest and lack any bitterness. Lower grade teas that are more bitter, are great for use in cooking or making drinks that contain a sweetener.
Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea is also called red tea or red bush tea. It comes from a plant that is in the legume family. It is a caffeine-free tea that has been used in many countries for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects for centuries. It also doesn’t contain oxalic acid like most other teas, which is good for those who are prone to kidney stones. Red rooibos tea is made by fermenting the leaves, which turns them a darker color. Green rooibos is not fermented and is especially rich in antioxidants, including quercetin. Quercitin has widespread benefits when it comes to protecting your health. Rooibos is so nutrient dense, that there’s practically no part of your body that can’t benefit from it, including your skin, heart and bones. Rooibos tea should be brewed longer than most other types of tea.
Ceylon Tea
Ceylon tea refers to any type of tea that is produced in Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon. Like other kinds of tea, ceylon tea comes from the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. And like other teas, it is high in antioxidants and can help protect against oxidative stress and free radical formation. There are many types of ceylon tea. White ceylon tea, for example, is harvested early and considered the least processed type of tea. This helps it retain its powerful antioxidant and nutrient profile. Ceylon green tea is also less processed than black tea and does not undergo the same oxidation process, giving it a lighter color. Black ceylon tea is one of the most well-known and popular types of ceylon tea and is used around the world as a base for tea blends like Earl Grey and iced teas.
Dandelion Tea
Those yellow weeds that pop up every spring, have a number of powerful health benefits. They have been used in food and as tea for most of recorded history. The root has been used to treat a variety of conditions such as bruises, loss of appetite, upset stomach, muscle aches, intestinal gas, gallstones, joint pain, and eczema. And dandelion greens can be chopped up and used as a garnish or as an addition to a sauce. They can also be cooked to tone down their somewhat bitter flavor. And of course you can make tea with dandelion roots or flowers or buy the tea ready to brew. Nowadays, dandelion tea it is most commonly used to help the body and liver detoxify.
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