While many Americans tend to favor coffee
as their hot beverage of choice, tea is the second most
popular drink worldwide, preceded only by water.
Culturally engrained into the daily lives of people in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, tea has been widely consumed and revered for over 2,000 years. So what’s so special about this simple combination of boiled water and cured leaves?
Apparently, quite a lot! Research has shown that all varieties of tea offer a multitude of health benefits for both body and mind. This is mainly due to tea’s high amount of antioxidants, which are beneficial compounds that counteract unstable and potentially disease-causing cells. No wonder it’s used in home treatment for everything from the common cold to weight loss!
Adding tea to your dietary repertoire could help support your overall health in the following ways:
Lowers stress
Tea has been shown to reduce the overall stress level of people who consume it regularly. Lower stress means less inflammation in the body, better mood, happier outlook on life, and a significantly lower risk for serious illness such as heart disease. Tea’s warmth and pleasant aroma is also soothing on the nervous system, so you’ll feel more relaxed when drinking it due to decreased blood pressure.
Boosts immunity
The powerful antioxidants in tea support the immune system’s ability to fight off infections, as well as reduce your likelihood for all degenerative diseases such as cancer and osteoporosis. Consuming it regularly is the most effective way to reap tea’s immune-boosting benefits.
Hydrates
Drinking moderate amounts of tea offers the same amount of hydration benefits as drinking water. The myth that tea is a diuretic and therefore dehydrates the body has been disproven – unless you drink the equivalent of over 10 cups of black tea per day.
Promotes weight loss
Tea can support weight loss efforts, when consumed without milk or sugar, because it contains compounds that interfere with the absorption of fat in the body. Drinking tea in addition to eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help you feel satisfied and lose weight naturally.
Increases longevity
The antioxidants in tea not only reduce the likelihood for many common diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke, but they can help maintain skin elasticity, eye health, and bone density. These combined benefits increase life expectancy and contribute to a healthy and vibrant old age.
Warms you up
When the winter weather brings in the chill, drinking a hot cup of tea can warm you up fast and help you stay warm even after you’ve finished your drink. Besides, is there anything cozier than curling up with a good book and a delicious cup of tea?
Source: Integrative Nutrition
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