Health Benefits of Drinking Tea

Why White, Black, Red and Green Tea Are All Good For You

Aug 28, 2007

All the different teas contains antioxidants which can contribute to preventing cancer. Some teas have higher levels than others and some teas have other health benefits

Research has shown that tea is good for you. With such a wide choice now, what is the difference?

White Tea

White tea is made from buds and young leaves picked in the springtime, shortly before the buds have fully opened. It is called white tea because the soft silver down that still covers the bud turns white when the tea is dried. (The best and most expensive white tea is made entirely from buds.) These are then steamed and dried, undergoing the minimum of processing. This means the tea retains greater levels of powerful antioxidants than in green or black teas. Antioxidants help to reduce and also repair the damage done to cells in the body.

Green Tea

Green tea is made from more mature tea leaves further along the branch, which then undergo a little more processing. In 1994 the American Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of a study showing that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by almost 60 percent. The University of Purdue, Indiana, more recently concluded that a compound in green tea does contribute to preventing cancer by inhibitting the growth of cancer cells. Green tea has been used for many years in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine to improve heart health.

Rooibos or Red Tea

Strictly defined, tea is from Camellia Sinensis, and Rooibos is not a tea, but a shrub from the legume family, found only in the South African Cedarberg Mountains. Caffeine free, it has a low tannin content, which means that it does not have the astringent taste associated with tea and will not become bitter, even after standing or being reheated. This makes it a good alternative for pregnant or breastfeeding women; or for those who have digestive problems. It also contains antioxidants, and has other health benefits :

Black Tea

Usually from China or India, black tea is often named after the region where it is grown, such as Darjeeling. Last year, public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton and colleagues at Kings College London, England, looked at published studies on the health benefits of drinking ordinary tea. Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking (hot) tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants, so it's got two things going for it."

Black, white, green or Rooibos tea would be a good alternative to fizzy drinks or alcohol, but would still need to be part of a balanced diet.

Reference: U.S. National Institute of Health Fact Sheet : Tea and Cancer Prevention

The copyright of the article Health Benefits of Drinking Tea in Holistic Nutrition is owned by Elaine Walker. Permission to republish Health Benefits of Drinking Tea in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.