Why is Black Tea beneficial to health?
Black tea consumption is an age-old tradition seen in many cultures throughout the world. This non-sweetened drink has several ingredients, including polyphenols and antioxidants, that help boost health and prevent the onset of chronic diseases. In this section, we will review the latest research documenting its ingredients and properties.
Composition:
Black tea contains powerful antioxidants, theaflavins, polyphenols, catechins/flavonoids that are anti-inflammatory. Black tea also contains a amino-acid L-theanine, as well as alkaloids and volatile compounds that are beneficial to health. It has caffeine and therefore must be consumed in moderation.
Health Benefits:
Black tea consumption may help regulate cholesterol levels and, in particular, has a lowering effect on LDL cholesterol, which is implicated in heart disease.
Consumption of this beverage also seems to have cardio-protective benefits.
The polyphenols in black tea can help combat obesity by decreasing and suppressing the absorption of lipids and sugars.They also increase lipolysis and decrease fat accumulation by decreasing the proliferation of adipose cells.
It is postulated that black tea polyphenols are more effective than the polyphenols in green tea.
Drinking black tea may also have a protective effect against stroke risk.
Black tea consumption also seems to have protective effects against cancer—this may be secondary to the polyphenols inhibiting the survival and proliferation of cancer cells by affecting their growth and metastasis at the molecular level.
Black tea may also play a beneficial role in glucose control and insulin function.
Black tea consumption also has an inhibitory effect on the growth of bacteria.
Black tea polyphenols exert their antioxidant effect by neutralizing elevated levels of free radicals in our body. Another way they help protect against oxidative damage is by inhibiting the pro-oxidative enzymes that cause oxidant injury and in turn fuel chronic disease.
From the above discussion, we can see that this beverage has health benefits, but having said that, keep in mind that it also has caffeine, so moderation is key. As always, I wish that you keep your health in the center focus and live long and strong!
