Tea drinkers around the world have been enjoying tea for its refreshing flavour, its remarkable health properties and medicinal qualities. Recent studies point towards the positive health benefits from teas such as preventing heart diseases and various cancers and lowering cholesterol levels due to its powerful anti-oxidant properties and presence of Polyphenol Catechins. Tea is also believed to reduce the growth of plaque on teeth and support longer life.Though tea contains caffeine, heavy and prolonged consumption of the beverage does not cause nervousness, insomnia etc, infact, it aids digestion, clearing of thoughts and relieves fatigue (New York Academy of Medicine, 1955). Various tests and researches have been conducted to confirm the benefits of black tea. Research done at Rutgers University suggests drinking black tea to prevent stomach, breast and prostate cancer. According to Milton Schiffenbauer of Pace University, consumption of black tea helps remove viruses from the mouth and helps prevent diarrhoea, pneumonia, cystitis, and skin infections. Black tea also prevents heart attack and stroke and helps lower cholesterol, helps prevent tooth decay and aids the burning of fat.
It is a common fallacy that Green tea contains more antioxidants than black teas and hence provides better and more health benefits. Both black and green tea have the same level of antioxidants, the only difference lies in the type (green tea contains simple flavanoids called catechins, while black tea contains more complex flavanoids called theaflavins and thearubigins). Drinking only 3-5 cups a day provides the necessary health benefits, infact, a UK study has concluded that 3 cups of tea contains the same amount of antioxidants as six apples.
