Whether you love drinking green tea, black tea, oolong tea or coffee in the morning, there is something great in each drink for your health. Below you will find an incredible infographic that compares tea to coffee.
So many people’s favourite tea is the “chai latte” from Starbucks, but is chai tea really good for you? Well, obviously not the latté syrup but regular chai tea (from a tea bag) IS VERY GOOD FOR YOU!
Chai tea is essentially black tea but with additional spices/ herbs and milk. What many do not know though, is that black tea is very good for you… and with the added benefits of the spices in chai tea, it makes for a very healthy tea! If you want to read more about the health benefits of black tea, refer to our earlier article here.
Overall, black tea is rich in antioxidants, after all, it’s a cousin of green tea- specifically catechins and polyphenols. Antioxidants prevent free radical formation and cellular damage. If you read Eco-Savy’s article on Black Tea Health Benefits, we even referenced study that correlated women drinking black tea to a lower risks of ovarian cancer. Furthermore, black tea lowers cholesterol and is thus good for the heart.
On top of the black tea ingredients in Chai tea, there are a series of series of spices, which are also very good for you. These spices include ginger, cloves, fennel seeds, allspice, cardamom and black pepper. Overall these spices help stimulate and support digestion, calm the stomach and combat nausea and diarrhea. Chai tea’s herbs also help with reducing inflammation in the body (i.e. the ginger does this). Also, an added bonus is that chai tea has less caffeine than coffee! Having chai instead of coffee provides health benefits and satisfies the taste buds.
Below you will find an infographic of the benefits of chai tea’s spices for your health.
Though they come from the same plant, black tea has a more flavorful taste and richer aroma than green tea. This is due to the fact that the said beverage undergoes a certain process called oxidation, which also gives it its darker color.
Though black tea undergoes more processing than green tea, it still provides an array of health benefits to your body. Here are some of the positive health effects of drinking black tea on a daily basis.
Black Tea Energizes Your Body
Many people resort to energy drinks to boost their energy levels and productivity. However, consuming these beverages is quite unhealthy since they contain certain chemical substances that may be harmful to your body. On the other hand, drinking a healthy cup of black tea can give you the same energy-boosting effects you will find in energy drinks minus the harmful chemical substances.
The reason behind this is that black tea is a good source of caffeine. Aside from that, it also contains small quantities of a certain stimulant known as theophyline. Both theophyline and caffeine can effectively make you more energetic and alert by raising your heart rate.
Black Tea Is Rich in Antioxidants
Just like its cousin—green tea—black tea also contains high level of antioxidants, specifically catechins and polyphenols. These two antioxidants are very powerful. They can effectively eradicate free radicals within your body and prevent cellular damage.
Furthermore, several studies show that antioxidants, especially polyphenols and catechins, can help prevent and fight cancer. For example, in a certain scientific study it has been found that those women who drink black tea on a regular basis have lower risks of developing ovarian cancer than those who do not.
In addition, cancer is not the only disease that black tea is capable of preventing and fighting. Other diseases that this healthy beverage has positive effects on are the following:
– Atherosclerosis
– Kidney stones
– Parkinson’s Disease
– Diabetes
– Osteoporosis
– High Cholesterol
Again, it is the high antioxidant concentration of black tea that enables it to prevent and fight these serious health conditions.
Black Tea Is Good for the Heart
Drinking black tea on a daily basis is good for your cardiovascular system. Black tea contains a certain chemical compound called theaflavins. Theaflavins reduce your risk of acquiring heart disease by preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
Furthermore, black tea can also help people who have suffered from heart attacks increase their survival rate. Not only that but also it has been found that drinking this natural healthy beverage can help improve the flexibility or elasticity of your blood vessels. This in turn will help you keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
Not only is black tea delicious, it is very healthy to your body as well. However, in order for you to experience its amazing health benefits you need to drink it on a daily basis. Instead of grabbing a can of soda or a cup of coffee, why not go for a cup of black tea? It will not only reinvigorate your body and increase your productivity, it will also help you prevent and fight various diseases.
Manuka honey is primarily produced in New Zealand. This natural super-food is gradually gaining the attention and respect of both medical professionals and everyday health-minded individuals due to its healing and antibacterial properties. Manuka honey comes from the Manuka trees, which are primarily found in a specific place in New Zealand called the East Cape Region.
In general, all kinds of honey have natural honey health benefits. However, what makes Manuka more potent and beneficial to health is its high concentration
of a very powerful antibacterial component called methylglyoxal or MG.
The healing and antibacterial capacity of Manuka stems from its MG content. Generally speaking, the more MG a bottle of Manuka honey has, the more potent it is in providing various health benefits.
However, it is important to note that not all Manuka honeys are created equal. Honey experts use a certain scale in rating the potency of Manuka called Unique Manuka Factor or UMF. The higher the UMF is, the higher the concentration of MG and the more potent it is. Thus, for you to experience the therapeutic honey health benefits of Manuka, you need to make sure that it has a UMF rating of 10 or more.
Typically, Manuka is used in treating wounds and burns by applying it on top of them. Aside from that, this natural health wonder is also marketed as a natural healer of various diseases. Here are some Manuka health benefits.
– Treat Gastrointestinal Problem
– Treat Diabetes
– Reduce Systemic Inflammation
– Prevent Cancer
– Treat Infections on the Eyes, Sinus, and Ears
–Reduce High Cholesterol
– Treat Rashes, Hives, Rosacea, Eczema
– Can Be Used as Facial Mask
However, it should be noted that some of these Manuka health benefits do not have any scientific researches or studies to back them up. In fact, Dr. Ron Fessenden from The Honey Revolution warns diabetic people not to take Manuka honey on a daily basis since its high concentration of methylglyoxal can lead to various health complications.
Manuka Flower
