For over 5,000 years, tea has been enjoyed across the globe. Even before science and technology could prove tea was beneficial! One thing is for sure… high tea consumption leads to a healthier heart!
Different Types Of Tea
There are 4 main kinds of teas: black, green, oolong and white, but all are made from the leaves of the evergreen shrub, Camellia sinensis. The difference is in how the leaves are processed. Green and black tea appear to offer the most health benefits.
Green Tea
Green tea leaves are steamed, which preserves its antioxidants called polyphenols. Green tea has been studied more than other teas, so we know more about its composition, antioxidants, and benefits. The majority of polyphenols in green tea are flavonoids. The type of flavonoids that confer the most heart health benefits is catechins. And green tea happens to be chock full of them! The anti-inflammatory properties found in catechins may help prevent arteriosclerosis and ultimately prevent heart disease and stroke because they improve plaque buildup in the bloodstream and arterial walls. Green tea consumption is also associated with lower total cholesterol and LDL level.
THE RESEARCH: 3-6 cups of green tea per day reduces your risk of dying from heart disease by 47%! The more the better!
Black Tea
Black tea is the most processed of the tea leaves, but this allows the polyphenols to morph into their own unique heart health benefits.
THE RESEARCH: 3 cups of black tea per day for more than 6 weeks reduces blood sugar levels, triglycerides, and increases HDL and blood levels of antioxidants. Longer consumption for 6 months results in lowered blood pressure. All of these markers combine to lower your risk of heart disease.
Herbal Teas
The healthful properties of herbal teas vary widely due to the range of antioxidant levels in the different herbs. However, Hibiscus tea and Rooibos (or red tea) have also been shown to have cardio-protective benefits, just not as concentrated as green or black tea.
Despite your tea choice, it’s clear that you will receive heart health benefits from most of them. Avoid adding milk to your tea, otherwise, your arteries won’t get as much benefit. Now there can be quite a bit of chemical, pesticides and even GMO ingredients found in the tea leaves themselves or the tea bags, so to save you time in researching what brands are safe… Here are 3 we recommend: Numi, Traditional Medicinals and Rishi Tea (loose-leaf).
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