For Tea lovers, it’s your month to shine! International Tea Day is celebrated on 21st May 2023 and on this day, tea fanatics gather to celebrate their favourite drink whilst promoting ways to make tea production and consumption sustainable!
Is International Tea Day Worth Celebrating?
Yes! It is a well-known fact that drinking tea is good for the body. Tea is an integral part of traditional medicine and is revered as a panacea in many Asian countries. For centuries, The Chinese and Japanese have sort after tea consumption as one of their main forms of medical solutions and more recently, the trend has spread to the Western Hemisphere as medical experts attest to its benefits.
Drinking tea can protect your brain health, improve heart health, and even prevent certain types of cancer. We intend to go in-depth and discuss its major health benefits so that you can feel more empowered to curl up in your pyjamas with your favourite mug and enjoy a healthy drink.
What is Tea?
Let’s start off by defining tea. Tea is one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world and can be placed into two main categories: True tea and herbal tea. There are also flavoured teas that combine true tea bases and herbal teas.
True Tea
True Tea is created with the use of Camellia Sinensis plant leaves. These teas come in various flavours, including black, oolong, white, green, and pu-erh. While these teas are made using the same leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, the difference in colour and taste arises from the production process.
The purest teas, which are those that go through the least processing, are green and white tea as they are often not oxidised. To stop the chemistry from turning the leaves to a dark brown or black colour, the leaves are harvested and dried. These teas are among the healthiest because they maintain their original green colour.
Oolong tea has only partial oxidation compared to black teas like (Earl Green) which go through complete oxidation. Pu-erh tea is post-oxidised and considered aged. These genuine teas are thought to be slightly inferior to green tea but still provide a number of health advantages. Additionally, depending on the type of tea and the method of production, different true
teas have different caffeine contents.
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas, also known as Tisanes are created from an infusion of fruit, roots, herbs, leaves and stems from various plant species. These teas have a positive health effect that differs from true tea since they contain different compounds. Ginger tea, mint tea and chamomile tea are some of the best-known herbal teas as there is no caffeine.
Again, there are a plethora of benefits that come with tea so let’s go a bit more in-depth and discuss the major ones
1. Improves Heart Health
Recent research including animal studies shows that tea drinking may significantly lower the risk for serious heart disease including heart attack and blood clots. It contains anti-inflammatory properties, which assist in the relaxation of blood vessel tissue that in turn reduces the risk of inflammation, poor blood circulation and internal bleeding problems.
2. Increases Energy Levels
Taking into consideration there are small traces of caffeine in green teas like peppermint, tea lovers often gain an increase in energy levels. Additionally, for those who would like to cut down their caffeine intake, the low amount of caffeine in green tea is a good alternative to highly harmful caffeinated drinks such as coca cola.
An amino acid known as L-theanine is also responsible for the energy-boosting properties of green tea. The absorption of caffeine is slowed down by that amino acid. Consequently, the energy boost from green tea lasts longer and is more durable compared with that of a cup of coffee. When the caffeine wears off, you’ll have more focus and energy without the jittery side effects or the crash. In the brain, L-thalidone increases alpha waves that help to increase focus while at the same time offering calming and relaxing effects.
3. Aids with Mental Health
As well as reducing stress levels, habitual consumption of tea has been shown to reduce the risk for brain diseases. Consuming green tea may also be beneficial in preventing cognitive decline associated with diseases of the brain such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s as tea is a natural relaxant that helps us calm down after a hard day’s work.
That’s not all! Tea contains antioxidants that work to prevent oxidative stress, which can damage healthy cells. Antioxidants in tea have been shown to kill free radicals caused by pollution and other factors that can cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been linked to dementia and depression but with an adequate tea consumption level, the body can rid itself of toxins that might cause mental illness and improve general health.
4. Helps in Balancing Blood Sugar Levels
Drinking tea may help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent or control diseases such as type 2 diabetes. BodyHoliday’s Black teas such as Earl Grey have been shown to decrease blood sugar levels after a meal. For up to 120 minutes after meal consumption, the effects were observed and researchers were able to conclude that the polyphenols of the tea are the reason for these benefits as they are rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
5. Aids with Digestion
Teas are helpful for digestion and can address a number of health problems such as nausea or irritation in the stomach. If you ever decide to visit the West Indian paradise of Saint Lucia, be sure to try out BodyHoliday’s Fresh Ginger tea. It is a herbal tea that has long been used in China and India to treat upset stomachs with ingredients such as gingerol and shogaol that helps to soothe the stomach lining to prevent vomiting.
Also, since root teas contain tannins, which have been shown to reduce intestinal inflammation. It can help soothe stomach cramps for females on their cycles and treat irritable bowel syndrome.
There’s no denying that aside from its delightful taste, there is a lot more that comes with each sip. With that, The best Wellness Resort in the Caribbean, Bodyholiday Saint Lucia offers guests the opportunity to experiment with teas in different ways. At the Luxury Resort’s Wellness Cafe, there is a unique selection of the healthiest teas that one can find.
Whether you prefer drinking green tea or herbal tea bags, you’re sure to find a tea flavour you love. Explore the varied earthy and vegetal flavours of the true teas or mix them up with the floral, citrus, spicy, and fruity tastes of herbal teas. As long as you’re drinking tea. You’re sure to reap the health benefits of this delightful elixir.