Listly by Jodi Miller
With tea being the second most consumed beverage, black tea remains the most consumed type of tea. There is upright reason the black type of tea is number one over white, green, and oolong teas.
It provides the basis for most of the varieties and is the most favoured of the four types. All four types of tea are made from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but black tea is the most oxidized variety, comprises more caffeine, and has a stronger flavour than other varieties which it can preserve for years.Black tea is the most popular tea in Western countries, amounting for over 90% of volume sales, due to its possession of beneficial characteristics as well. The three key black tea producers are Sri Lanka, India & China. Some of its benefits are listed below:
Black tea contains less caffeine than coffee, which props up the blood flow in the brain, and acts as a mental stimulant. L-theanine, the amino acid found in black tea, can help your mind relax and concentrate. Drinking four cups of black tea daily for a month could reduce the impacts of the stress hormone, cortisol. The low content of caffeine in black tea boosts your memory and even acts as a barrier against Parkinson’s disease.
Research has proved that drinking black tea lessens the tendency of being victims to cardiovascular problems. The flavonoids found in black tea prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and any possible damage to the blood stream and the artery walls, and lowers the risk of heart disease. black tea can actually reverse a coronary artery disease called endothelial vasomotor dysfunction, which leads to other coronary diseases. The flavonoids are of use to improve coronary vasodilation and reduce blood clots; while the polyphenols and manganese present in black tea reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by aiding cardiac muscle function.
The healthy antioxidants found in black tea restrain the body from absorbing too much glucose. A research study conducted on elderly people living in the Mediterranean islands revealed that people that had been consuming black tea on a regular basis for a longer period (i.e 1-2 cups a day) had a 70% lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
The polyphenols - antioxidants found in black tea prevent the formation of impending carcinogens in the body, resulting in the prevention of ovarian, lung, prostrate, colorectal and bladder cancers. Research has discovered that black tea is effective in preventing stomach, prostate and breast cancer. Black tea contains a compound known asTF-2 that is responsible for causing apoptosis (programmed death of cancer cells), while the normal cells remain unaffected. Furthermore, black tea can also considerably reduce the risk of oral cancer in those who smoke tobacco products. Black tea also thwarts cancer by restraining the formation and growth of malignant tumors.
You can buy black tea that boasts numerous health benefits, as loose-leaf or in tea bags and the drink is popular iced or hot as a breakfast tea, often enjoyed with sugar, milk, or lemon