Black Tea vs Herbal Tea

I found a blog post comparing about black tea and herbal tea. For me, I always support Real Tea. Therefore, as I mention before even herbal tea is not consider as “TEA”, but herbal tea still have other benefits.

Black tea offers the benefit of reversing cardiovascular disease if you drink it plain and long term. Herbal teas each offer their individual benefits ranging from aiding digestion, to removing nausea, to treating diarrhea and more. The role of tea in cancer prevention and boosting the immune system needs to be studied further. When it comes to deciding between black tea and herbal tea, examine your individual needs. You may want to incorporate black tea into your diet regularly but moderately because of its caffeine content. Use herbal teas to cleanse your system and to deal with symptoms as they pop up.

Feel free can check out the post from
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/black-tea-vs-herbal-tea.html#b
They also provide lots of information about healthy eating.

Herbal Tea

So…what is a herbal tea? Well…let us start out with what a herbal tea is NOT!

A herbal tea is NOT, repeat NOT, tea. So then why are herbal teas called a “tea.” Good question…but one that probably goes back to some tradition or another that says anything added to hot water becomes a “tea.”

But in any event…yes, a herbal tea is NOT a true tea. Technically speaking, in order for something to be considered a true “tea,” the plant that is used must come from the tea plant, camellia sinensis.

To put it simply…a tea is “only a true tea” if it actually contains tea plant leaves. And thus…this is why oolong, white, green and black are considered “true teas,” as their leaves come from the actual tea plant camellia sinensis. By contrast, rooibos and herbal teas do NOT contain leaves from the tea plant.

Confused? Read What Tea Is and What Tea is Not for more information.

Thus, with this out of the way, we can basically define a herbal tea as just about anything that gets added to boiling water. And by anything…I do mean ANYTHING. From lemons, to orange peel, to whole strawberries, to peppermint leaves, to candy cane pieces…and well, you get the idea.

Facts about Green Tea

Green tea comes from the same plant as black tea, but it is harvested at a younger age. It is consumed “fresh”, while black tea is consumed roasted. Green tea is thus less processed and retains more of its nutrients and antioxidants than black tea.
Here’s a look at the science behind some of Green tea’s health effects:

• Green tea and Cancer: Studies have shown green tea has the potential to fight many forms of cancer. One lab study done at the McGill University in Montreal found that the antioxidants in green tea could successfully shrink prostate tumors in mice. Another meta-analysis of data found that high green tea consumption could lower lung cancer risk by up to 18%. Other studies done on Japanese populations found that increased green tea consumption could be correlated to lower recurrence of cancer relapse in women with breast cancer. Chinese studies have even shown a link between green tea consumption and lowered chances of stomach, pancreatic, esophageal, prostate and colorectal cancer. This is definitely an exciting to start for more research to come.
• Green tea and Various Bioactive Compounds: Green tea is more than just green liquid. Many of the bioactive compounds in the tea leaves do make it into the final drink, which contains large amounts of important nutrients. One of the more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which has been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons green tea has such powerful medicinal properties. Green tea also has small amounts of minerals that are important for health. Try to choose a higher quality brand of green tea, because some of the lower quality brands can contain excessive levels of fluoride. That being said, even if you choose a lower quality brand, the benefits still far outweigh any risk.
• Green Tea and Brain Function: Green tea does more than just keep you awake, it can also make you smarter. The key active ingredient is caffeine, which is a known stimulant. It doesn’t contain as much as coffee, but enough to produce a response without causing the “jittery” effects associated with too much caffeine. Therefore, green tea also has the amino acid L-theanine. Studies show that caffeine and L-theanine can have synergistic effects. The combination of the two is particularly potent at improving brain function. Because of the L-theanine and the smaller dose of caffeine, green tea can give you a much milder and different kind of “buzz” than coffee. Many people report having more stable energy and being much more productive when they drink green tea, compared to coffee.

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Facts about White Tea

Many people switch from black tea or green tea to white tea for health or taste reasons. If you’re used to drinking green tea or black tea, you will find that white tea can be very different in its appearance, flavor, preparation and price. Whereas most green and black teas are made from the leaves of the Camaellia sinensis plant, white tea is made entirely or mostly from the buds of the tea plant. The buds should look white and fuzzy.

White tea, native to China, has gained popularity due to its low caffeine content coupled with its disease fighting components.
Here’s a look at the science behind some of white tea’s health effects:

• White Tea and Cancer Prevention. Oregon State University published an epidemiological study by Higdon and Frei thatidentified that white tea contains high amounts of the antioxidant, catechin. These antioxidants have special properties that inhibit the formation of new cancer cells as well as remove older cancer causing cells. Regular consumption of white tea could help reduce the probability of getting cancer.
• White tea and Antioxidants. White tea has an abundance of antioxidants. These help strengthen the immune system and prevent intrusion from bacteria and viruses. This leads to lesser occurrences of infection and gives you a healthier feeling. It really helps people infected with HIV as it reduces the symptoms of a poor immune system. It reduces your chances of catching a common cold or flu during season because of a stronger immune system.
• White Tea and Lower Blood Pressure. White tea actually has the possibility of reducing your blood pressure. It does this by thinning the blood and improving your artery function. Obviously it is more of a long term thing. This means that an addition of white tea in your diet may help in recuing your overall blood pressure. White tea’s blood thinning and pressure regulating properties also make it a good way to maintain a healthy heart. It seems then that white tea may be able to prevent heart related diseases to a certain extent.

According to a tea and caffeine study, white tea from Fujian (China) may contain as little as 6 to 25 mg of caffeine per cup, other white teas may be closer to 60 mg per cup. Similarly, the claims that white tea is especially high in antioxidants relate to a study on white tea from Fujian, and may not apply to other types of white tea.

Facts about Black Tea

Black Tea.

Like green tea, black tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are dried and fermented, which gives the tea a darker color and richer flavor than green tea (which does not undergo fermentation).
Here’s a look at the science behind some of black tea’s health effects:

• Black Tea and Cardiovascular Health. In 2001, Boston University found in a study that both short-term as well as long-term drinking of black tea actually reverses something called endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. This is a dysfunction which basically serves as a predictor for even more serious coronary events. The conclusions in the study backed up a previously held link between black tea and its propensity to lower cardiovascular problems.

• Black Tea and Diabetes. In a laboratory study published in 2009, scientists discovered that compounds extracted from black tea were more effective at slowing the absorption of blood sugar than those extracted from green tea and oolong tea. Additionally, a 2009 population study of 1,040 elderly adults found that long-term intake of black and/or green tea was associated with lower prevalence of diabetes.
• Black Tea and Antioxidants. Another benefit of drinking black tea is a sizeable one: the abundance of antioxidants in it. Antioxidants are compounds that help the body fight free radicals (chemical by-products known to damage DNA). These antioxidants include quercetin, a substance said to combat inflammation and support healthy immune function. The plant that this tea is made from comes with a plethora of the group of chemical substances known as polyphenol. These substances are another type of antioxidant, which have been found to help in everything from the treatment of brain injury cases to treatments against hearing loss and also, potentially, Parkinson’s disease.

Depending on how strong it’s brewed, black tea contains about 50 mg of caffeine per cup. In comparison, green tea contains 8 to 30 mg per cup, while coffee contains 100 to 350 mg.

 

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