What tea to drink? Discover the different teas and their benefits

Green tea, black tea, oolong tea, white tea, smoked tea, rooibos tea, barley tea… It is difficult to list all the kinds of tea, not to mention the varieties that have been added over time. Tea is arguably the second most consumed beverage in the world after water.

To understand this interest in tea, just look at all the benefits it brings to the body, thanks to its active ingredients. Did you know, for example, that each type of tea has specific virtues? We present to you five types of tea most consumed in the world and their health benefits.

1 – Green tea

Still called Camelia Sinensis in botany, it is one of the most powerful and well-known teas. Today there are nearly 8,000 varieties of green tea: Sencha, Gyokuro, Gunpowder, etc.

The green tea is made from young shoots that undergo little oxidation and transformation. This is what allows it to naturally keep its natural green color.

What are the benefits of green tea?

Green tea has the reputation of being a health ally thanks to its multiple properties.

1. It has a preventive and curative effect. Green tea contains many active ingredients. Mention may be made of flavonoids, catechins, flavanols, essential amino acids, minerals, trace elements, vitamins, carotenoids, essential oils, chlorophyll, enzymes, and fatty acids.
2. It is a solution to treat certain diseases such as allergies, flu, inflammation caused by bacteria. Green Tea is also used to prevent cancer.
3. Green tea is known to be a slimming ally thanks to its rich antioxidant, theine and polyphenol content. It contains active ingredients belonging to the caffeine family that make fat disappear.

2 – Rooibos tea

The rooibos tea is still called red tea or Pu-Erh tea. It is recognized by its earthy and strong taste and its dark red color. It undergoes an extensive post-fermentation process.

What are the benefits of rooibos?

1. Has a diuretic effect
2. Helps eliminate liquids
3. Helps improve digestion

3 – Oolong tea: why consume it?

Still called Wulong or blue tea, Oolong tea is an intermediary between black tea and other types of sweeter tea such as white or green tea. It tastes like fresh fruit. It is also called semi-fermented tea because its fermentation process is not complete.

When the leaves of this tea are steeped, they turn blue green. Oolong tea is also distinguished from others by its low caffeine content and its flavorful and fragrant taste.

Its antioxidant properties allow it to reduce the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. This tea is also consumed to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

In addition, Oolong tea is also a slimming ally. It helps relaxation and soothes feelings of stress. Thanks to its high concentration of antioxidant polyphenols, this tea also helps to prevent diabetes while reducing insulin levels.

4 – Black tea

Black tea is subject to a long oxidation unlike green, white or oolong teas. Its perfect oxidation explains why it contains more theine than other types of tea. It comes in several varieties: Smoked tea, Ceylon black tea, Keemum black tea or Dian Hong black tea.

What are the benefits of black tea?

Consuming black tea brings you many benefits. We can cite among these:

• Stimulation of the heart
• Protection of the inner walls of the arteries
• Cardiovascular disease prevention
• Stimulation of the nervous system thanks to methylxanthines
• Relaxation of the muscles of the bronchioles
• Ease of breathing

Moreover, compared to green tea, black tea contains much more catechin. This is what makes it considered a slimming ally because it helps to lose weight.

By also consuming a few cups of green tea, you prevent the formation of cavities, and you remedy cases of digestive infections such as aerophagia, gastroenteritis, diarrhea and osteoporosis as far as women are concerned.

In addition, drinking 2 to 3 cups of tea a day can reduce the risk of heart attack by 11%, promote good blood circulation and reduce the effects of aging such as the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles.

5 – White tea

The leaves producing this tea have a whitish color. This is where the origin of its name comes from. White tea is very low in theine. Its consumption has many benefits.

What are the benefits of white tea?

• Strengthens the immune system
• Contains antioxidants
• Helps prevent dental caries
• Fight against plaque buildup
• Contains vitamins C and E
• Helps fight colds

In addition, white tea contains a high dose of catechins compared to green tea. This is what justifies its richness in antioxidants. By drinking 2 to 3 cups of white tea a day, you fight against the aging of your cells. Indeed, the main property of antioxidants is to neutralize the free radicals which are at the origin of this aging of cells.

In addition, the high catechin content of white tea also promotes a good detox cure, as water retention is mostly reduced.

How to fully benefit from the properties of tea?

In short, drinking tea has many benefits. But we must keep in mind that excess in everything harms.

Moreover, the tea may be of good quality, but if it is poorly infused, it will not be rich in polyphenols. These contain antioxidants and therefore help to fight against cellular aging.

A good infusion of tea is one that lasts less than 10 minutes, with non-boiling water and at a temperature closer to 80%. It is proven that beyond this temperature, the polyphenols will lose many of their properties.

Remember also that the infusion must also last more than 3 minutes at a minimum. Only then will tannins, other categories of antioxidants, be released.

Moreover, certain categories of people are more exposed to theine than others. These include pregnant women and children. Therefore, it is recommended to decaffeinate the tea beforehand when these people decide to consume it.

To do this, make a first infusion of about one minute and discard the water obtained. You will thus have evacuated the caffeine. Then proceed to the second phase of the infusion.