Tea is an ancient beverage going back thousands of years. Its health benefits are scientifically documented, such as its ability to fight cancer, but they are also the subject of folklore and legend. Tea has many surprising benefits.
Tea and Coffee
Tea has zero calories if one refrains from adding sugar, cream, or artificial sweeteners to it. Black coffee has about 5 calories, but that number goes up significantly with the additions of cream and sugar. Most tea has less caffeine than coffee, and often, it is significantly cheaper and takes less time to make. It is also less staining when it spills, and since is it just water, leaves less of a sticky mess.
Tea Health Benefits
The ancient Chinese used tea as medicine, believing it to have special healing powers. Today, many doctors believe that tea may prevent cancer growth. Chemicals found in the tea, called antioxidants, help keep the body protected from unwanted free radicals and other harm. In addition, tea has also been found to help shrink cancer found in lab mice. Studies on tea health benefits for humans have so far produced conflicting information. In addition, there are specialized teas created to help memory, concentration, energy, intestinal regularity, skin health, and many other topics.
Tea Flavors
Tea has richer and more complex flavors than coffee alone - which is why many commercially sold coffee drinks in coffee shops are prepared with other flavors like cinnamon, chocolate, or nutmeg. In addition to the various types of tea, such as regular black tea, green tea, which is processed and dried in a special way as to avoid fermentation, red tea, which is also known as rooibos or "African Redbush," white tea, which is a special kind of baby tea leaf, and herbal tea, which is not really tea at all, but a mixture of herbs.
Tea Rituals
The caffeine associated with certain kinds of tea can sometimes give the impression that tea is antithetical to relaxation. Nothing could be further from the truth; in fact, tea is an important part of many relaxation rituals around the globe. "Tea time," in England is probably the most famous tea-centric ritual the the Western world, but there are also Japanese tea rituals, Korean tea rituals, Chinese tea rituals, and many other kinds of tea rituals found throughout Asia and the rest of the globe. Tea often occupies an important spot in many religious and cultural traditions.
Tea is a great alternative to coffee, because it is cheaper and healthier. The benefits of tea on health have been appreciated throughout thousands of years, including the present day. Another benefit of tea is its complex flavor, which often affords it more unique tastes than coffee. Tea rituals are also an important part of many cultures around the globe, and the benefits of tea are a near universally recognized phenomenon.
 |
