After water, tea is the in the world. In fact, it’s been enjoyed in China and Japan for While many of us drink tea for its delicious flavor, it’s also extremely , depending on how you prepare it. Considering the number of teas out there, however, you might be wondering which tea is healthiest.
Let’s take a look at the healthiest types of tea and how to make the best cup. Pinkies up! While the various types of tea–black, green, oolong and white–may taste and look quite different, they’re all made from the same evergreen plant, the healthiest tea. The plant is rich in flavonoids, which provide bioactive compounds that help fight free radical damage.
Free radicals cause damage to our body’s cells over time and contribute to diseases like cancer and heart disease. In addition to flavonoids, tea is also abundant in the amino acid L-theanine, which provides health benefits and also gives tea its distinctive notes of caramel. According to studies, L-theanine has myriad .
It acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and helps protect the , heart, liver, and kidneys, as well as helping to lower and protect us from cancer. While the of tea varies by season and stage of growth, it is quite similar in green, white and oolong teas, with black tea having slightly lower amounts. After being harvested, fresh tea leaves go through various processes before they’re made into the tea products we use at home.
These processes include fermentation and baking and both can alter t.