humz.eu.org - Tea is more than just a popular drink. For thousands of years, drinking tea has been, and is still a tradition and ritual rooted in cultures worldwide. Originating from China, the habit of drinking tea then spread to Japan, then the Netherlands, and finally throughout Europe. Dutch settlers in America first introduced tea in 1650. England was one of the last European countries to adopt tea, although initially imports of the tea plant were heavily taxed. Much of the tea import was smuggled illegally until the British government cut the tax rate in 1784, allowing the tea to be an affordable drink for all and not just a drink for the rich. In Great Britain alone, about 75 million cups of tea are consumed each day. That is estimated that more than 3 billion cups of tea are consumed worldwide every day.
The tea fame is not only due to its good taste. For centuries tea has been drunk for its therapeutic benefits, which have also been extensively studied scientifically. The medicinal and health benefits of drinking tea have been known for thousands of years. Now, modern science has helped support these benefit claims. Here, there are ten health benefits of drinking tea that should be known.
1. Increase metabolism
According to Dr. Kouri, the benefits of drinking tea every day for health care because it contains caffeine, which increases mental acuity and increases metabolism and fat burning up to 100 calories per day. As long as it is not excessive, daily caffeine intake is not more than 300 to 400 milligrams. Black polyphenols, oolong, and green tea have all been shown to increase calorie expenditure and reduce body fat. Interestingly, tea promotes one type of fat: brown fat. This brown fat is more metabolically active and contains more mitochondria than white fat, meaning brown fat can burn calories and increase metabolism. A review of 15 studies found that those who consumed two to six cups of green tea a day for more than 12 weeks had lower body fat and weight than those who didn't. These benefits are also found in tea extracts.
2. Improve sleep patterns
According to a study in Integrative Medicine Research, the benefits of drinking tea can improve sleep quality and quality of life in those with mild to moderate insomnia.
3. Reducing the risk of certain cancers
The tea leaves' high antioxidant content can prevent cancer growth. This is because the antioxidants in tea leaves will work against free radicals that attack cells in the body. Damage to cells in the body that are eliminated by these antioxidants is the cause of cancer. Therefore, regular consumption of tea is perfect for preventing cancer. Green tea's EGCG catechins are also potent antioxidants that have great cancer-fighting potential. Laboratory and animal studies have found that EGCG can reduce metastasis and improve outcomes for breast, lung, colon, skin, and other cancers. At the same time, more clinical studies in humans are needed; several long-term observational studies have found similar cancer-fighting benefits of drinking tea. For example, Japanese women who drink ten or more cups of green tea a day (120 ml or 4 ounces each) experience a seven-year delay in developing cancer. This amount of tea is reportedly equivalent to 2.5 grams of green tea extract. According to Uma Naidoo, Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle Psychiatry, beneficial effects were found in skin, prostate, lung, and breast cancer. Drinking black tea regularly/daily can significantly reduce the risk of skin cancer. Hot black tea is beneficial for squamous skin carcinoma.
4. Reducing the risk of diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that the blood sugar levels in the human body exceed normal limits, which is harmful to the body. This can lead to other dangerous complications in the body. By consuming unsweetened tea regularly every day can help reduce the risk of diabetes in the body. The types of teas that are very good for lowering the risk of diabetes are black tea and green tea. This is due to tea's ability to increase insulin sensitivity so that the risk of diabetes decreases. This is also proven by research in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which states that black tea can lower blood sugar after consuming foods containing sucrose.
5. Improve the digestive tract
When consuming tea, the digestive tract in the body will be healthier and cleaner. The content in one cup of tea in the form of polyphenols plays the right role in getting rid of harmful bacteria's growth and increasing the number of good bacteria in the digestive tract. That way, the digestive tract becomes healthier.
6. Maintain healthy teeth and oral cavity
Although sipping tea throughout the day can stain your teeth a little, but it doesn't matter. According to research in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, green tea has an antibacterial effect that can reduce cavity-forming bacteria in the mouth. Drinking/consuming green tea every day can also make cavities less severe. The tea content in the form of antioxidants also reduces bacterial growth in the oral cavity. The risk of dental caries is reduced. The antioxidants have killed the bacteria in the mouth in the tea to improve your oral health. Besides, tea consumption is also perfect for preventing bad breath.
7. Increase focus
The caffeine in tea can increase attention and alertness. Theanine is an amino acid unique to tea. It can also improve awareness by relaxing the brain but stimulating it when it's time to focus. The caffeine in tea that flows through the blood vessels will stimulate the central nervous system's performance, so that blood circulation becomes smoother to the brain. Therefore, caffeine consumption is suitable for someone sleepy in order to keep him awake.
8. Lowering blood pressure
Consumption of black tea can lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure. To get better results, people with high blood pressure are advised to change their lifestyle, including diet, such as avoiding high-salt foods.
9. Lowering harmful cholesterol levels
LDL bad cholesterol in the body can be lowered when a person consumes tea regularly. The high antioxidant content in tea can lower dangerous LDL cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol, which is bad cholesterol in the blood, cannot be oxidized, but the high antioxidant content will make it oxidized slowly.
10. Good for the brain
Consuming tea regularly/daily can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Although the exact cause of Alzheimer's is still unclear and there is no cure, research confirms that drinking green and black tea can improves cognitive scores among those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In addition, drinking tea can improve memory and increase attention span to prevent cognitive decline. The combination of caffeine and L-theanine in tea has improved reaction time, visual processing, memory, and concentration. It even changes the way the brain is organized for more efficient processing of information.
11. Increase fertility
The eight benefits of drinking tea are to help increase fertility. A 2018 review reported that levels of oxidative stress heavily influence infertility in reproductive tissues. Drinking tea can help deal with it. The polyphenols in tea have confirmed the potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Hence, it has been suggested that tea can increase fertility in both men and women. Of course, more researches are needed, but it seems that the benefits of drinking this one tea are promising.
