Tea is the second most popular beverage drank worldwide, right after water. The Camellia Sinensis plant is the source of all tea variations. And black tea is the topic of today. Surprisingly, when it comes to the leaf, black tea is identical to white tea, oolang and green tea. The only distinction is in the way that it is processed. In comparison to other herbal teas, black tea undergoes greater oxidation, giving it a deeper color and stronger flavor. Black tea frequently has its flavor and scent enhanced by the addition of other plants, such as Earl Grey and English Breakfast.
In the US, many folks either drink it hot or cold. However, before being cooled, it must always be steeped in hot water. Many people drink black tea purely out of preference. But it can also be used for a variety of other benefits. And today we’ll discuss a few of them with you. So, after reading our list of all the wonderful ways that black tea can benefit you, you’ll be eager to take a tea break.
Benefits of Black Tea
It’s noteworthy that black tea is the type of tea that people drink most often around the world. This may be because black tea has a longer shelf life and is more revealing. Regardless of whether you prepare a cup for breakfast or as part of your afternoon routine, black tea is full of health advantages like the ones listed below.
- Reduce blood pressure
- Assists regulate blood sugar levels
- Helps maintain healthy stomach
- Boosts focus
- Improves heart health
- Enhances oral health
So, let’s get to know them one by one.
1. Reduce Blood Pressure
There are almost 1 billion people with high blood pressure worldwide. And it raises the risk of renal failure, heart attacks, vision loss, and even stroke. Alterations to your diet, however, can support maintaining a healthy blood pressure level. Black tea can therefore help persons who want to lower their high blood pressure. This is done by decreasing systolic activity, and lowering their dangerous triglyceride levels. So, yes – it is possible to lower blood pressure by drinking black tea.
In contrast to the placebo group, individuals in controlled research who drank three cups of black tea daily for six months saw significant reductions in both their systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Moreover, drinking black tea seemed to counteract the effect of a high-fat meal on blood pressure. Despite the tea’s caffeine concentration, this benefit persisted. However, because there were only 19 individuals in this small study, larger studies are required to support these findings.
Research on black tea’s impact on blood pressure is, however, ambiguous. A study of 5 research with 343 individuals found that although their blood pressure had improved, the results were not statistically significant.
2. Assists Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
We certainly want to keep our blood sugar levels at a healthy, balanced level. But, nearly 90% of individuals in the US who have pre-diabetes (a disease that can result in type 2 diabetes) are completely unaware that they do. According to studies, drinking black tea may help lower the chance of developing diabetes (specially type 2 diabetes). As we all know, black tea is a fantastic non-sweetened beverage that has been shown to improve insulin levels in the body. It is thought that drinking this tea actively lowers the rise in blood glucose levels after consuming sugar because of those natural polyphenols that come along with the beverage.
According to one study, drinking black tea helped boost insulin activity by a factor of more than 13. Moreover, black and green tea also lowered blood sugar levels and regulated how the body digested sugar, according to a different study done on mice.
3. Helps Maintain Healthy Stomach
You can avoid many illnesses by maintaining a healthy stomach. This is because your immune system is directly impacted by the condition of your stomach. Black tea is one beverage that contributes towards maintaining a healthy stomach.
The polyphenols in tea may function as prebiotics and as nourishment for the helpful bacteria in the gut. In fact, this tea consumption promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria like Salmonella, which helps maintain strong gut health. It also has antibacterial qualities that eliminate intestinal microbes and strengthen the digestive tract’s walls.
According to a study done on mice, the polyphenols in both green and black tea enhanced gastrointestinal health and promoted weight loss. The tannins in black tea can aid in the healing of inflammation and many types of irritation. It also benefits your digestive enzymes. While there’s still a lot to learn about tea and the digestive system, it certainly won’t hurt to drink a couple cups of this tea a day every day.
4. Boosts Focus
You can make decisions, solve problems, and complete tasks more efficiently if your focus and awareness are better. After all, even Jasper Fforde agrees that there is no problem on earth that can’t be ameliorated by a hot bath and a cup of tea. You may naturally improve your mental clarity with a few dietary and daily habit modifications. Did you know that black tea can help you find your focus? Yes, it does. L-theanine, a class of amino acid, comes in this tea, and caffeine in it helps enhance focus and alertness. According to studies, L-theanine and caffeine-infused drinks improve focus and alertness by increasing the alpha activity
In contrast to a placebo, another study found that participants who regularly drank black tea reported being significantly more alert and able to concentrate. Moreover, according to researchers from The Netherlands, the study’s participants who drank this tea had the longest attention spans, as well as greater auditory and visual attention.
5. Improves Heart Health
According to the CDC, heart disease is the cause of one out of every five deaths in the US in 2020. However, you can lower your risk by getting more exercise and eating a balanced diet. Black tea is available to help folks who want to lower their risk of heart attack. Additionally, regularly taking it may assist lower several risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, in addition to lowering excessive triglyceride levels and obesity. This is so because black teas include an antioxidant category termed as flavonoids that promotes heart health.
According to research, consuming three or more cups of black tea daily can lower your chance of developing coronary heart disease. In addition, drinking this tea is linked to a lower risk of myocardial infarction, ischemia, and cardiovascular mortality.
6. Enhances Oral Health
Most people can smile after drinking just one cup of hot tea. Recent research suggests that it may also enhance smiles a little bit more. Black tea offers protection against tooth decay, cavities, and dental plaque. The polyphenols in it prevent the growth of the bacterial enzymes that produce the gooey substance that binds plaque to our teeth by suppressing the causative germs that cause cavities. According to a study supported by the Tea Trade Health Research Association, black tea lowered plaque development and constrained bacterial growth.
Black tea may also help your breath feel freshen. Tea keeps showing its importance as an everyday companion in any scenario. You can prevent tooth decay and gum disease with just one or two cups of tea every day. However, in addition to incorporating tea into your regular routine, remember to still visit your dentist to enhance your oral health as well.
Twinings English Breakfast Black Tea
The most well-liked tea at Twinings is their English Breakfast. They meticulously choose the finest teas from five distinct areas, each with its own distinct qualities, to create this well-balanced blend. You may enjoy a rich, comprehensive, vibrant cup of tea at any time of day with Twinings English Breakfast Black Tea. Only the finest leaves grown to their exacting standards by reliable farmers across the world are used by their skilled blenders. They hand-select the leaves that will influence your next Twinings moment from these tea gardens. For the ideal cup of English breakfast tea, simply steep the tea for four minutes.
How to Store Black Tea?
Keeping black tea away from moisture and air is the best way to store it. Don’t forget to avoid excessive sun exposure or temperature changes, either. Therefore, storing the tea in tin containers is preferable. Add black tea to a ziplock bag, put the bag inside a tin, then put the tin in the refrigerator to keep this tea fresh for a year. You can also wrap a chunk of charcoal in a cloth and place it inside the tea can. It will aid in absorbing the extra moisture. If you don’t think the charcoal approach will work for you, you can try keeping this tea in an earthen pot with a little bag of lime powder to soak up any excess moisture.
How to Brew a Delightful Black Tea?
After reading about all the advantages and discovering one of the best black teas on the market, you must be yearning for a cup of hot, freshly brewed black tea. So, what’s holding you back? Within ten minutes, we’ll show you how to prepare a delicious cup of tea right in your kitchen by simply following these steps. All you need is black tea leaves, sugar or honey (optional) and some lemon (optional).
First, put some water on the stove to boil. Then add the black leaves to it. Place a lid on top and steep the tea leaves in the boiling water for 3 minutes. After that, remove the top and stir the mixture. Depending on your preference, add some honey or sugar. If you prefer a raw cup of black tea, skip this step. Next, add an adequate amount of lemon juice. Stir it, and then using a sieve, pour the tea into the cups. Voilà! Enjoy your black tea.As an additional option, you can add certain essential oils to your tea, such as bergamot, peppermint, lavender, and spearmint, among others, not only to enhance flavor but also for health reasons.
Side Effects Related to Black Tea
We know that you may have already fallen in love with black tea because it is loaded with health advantages other than its taste. Most people find that drinking this tea is very safe and delightful. Because caffeine can add up, it may be advisable to limit your daily consumption to no more than 4 or 5 cups. After all, any excess is unhealthy for you. Overconsumption of black tea might have the following negative effects on your health:
- Can cause constipation
- Could lead to glaucoma
- May make seizures more likely
- May result in diarrhea
- Might cause frequent urination
- Possible anxiety
If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you can have the following adverse effects:
- Anxiety
- Headache
- Higher blood pressure
- Jitteriness
- Nausea
- Tremors
- Trouble sleeping
Keep in mind that these adverse effects are minimal for casual drinkers and are typically caused by too much caffeine when a lot of tea has been consumed. You might want to avoid adding extra spoons of sugar to your tea or look for alternative natural ways to enhance sweetness or adjust the flavor if you want to keep it as healthy and pure as possible.
Conclusion
Black tea is brimming with powerful and alluring health benefits. Drinking this tea might be a beneficial way to get your daily caffeine boost. Tea contains little calories, especially when no sugar is added. This tea is in a class by itself due to the high concentration of anti-inflammatory antioxidants and other nutritive ingredients. We hope that these six intriguing reasons will either deepen your passion for black tea or convince you to start consuming it more frequently.
Disclaimer
Note that the information on this site is provided solely for educational purposes. It is not advisable to replace medical treatment from a health care professional. Because each person’s needs are different, the reader should check with their doctor to see if the information is appropriate for them.
