Tip back some tea
Why drinking black, green oolong and white tea is a healthy habit
Quit associating tea only with stuffy British social gatherings. It’s the world’s second most consumed beverage, increasingly popular in the U.S. and, not coincidentally, delicious and healthy. Teas that come from the Camellia sinensis shrub—black, green, oolong and white varieties—burst with micronutrients called polyphenols, which have biological properties thought to protect against disease. Researchers have connected regularly drinking tea with:
• Heart health: It may lower LDL (aka “bad” cholesterol), improve blood vessel function and inhibit blood clotting. However, not all studies have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits.
• Cancer prevention: Results from human studies have been mixed, but those with animals show that the polyphenols in tea inhibit colon, bladder, lung, skin and prostate cancers.
• Weight management: Research shows that green tea, especially, provides modest body-fat reduction and boosts energy, though that may be due partially to caffeine, which stimulates metabolism.
Source: berkeleywellness.com
