My patients often ask me which tea is healthier to drink: green or black. I think now is the right time to clarify this. It's winter, it's cold, it's the right time to enjoy a cup of hot tea, especially if it's also good for your health. Isn't that great?
A cup of tea will invigorate, raise vitality, strengthen the immune defense, and also relieve headaches. But each type of tea has certain properties. This means the benefits are different. Let's figure out which tea is healthier for the human body, which one is better to drink.
Despite the fact that black and green teas are made from the leaves of the same tree, due to processing, the taste and useful properties of these types of drink are significantly different. This is due to the fact that green tea leaves, unlike black tea, are only slightly processed just before drying, while black tea is completely fermented (oxidized).
It is difficult to say which green or black tea is healthier. Let's analyzewhat a beneficial effect each of them has on the human body.
Green tea is a real natural soothing remedy. Green tea adds stamina and vigor even more than black tea, as its leaves contain more theine. It is green tea that is advised to drink for people suffering from high blood pressure, as well as those who have problems with nerves. The Chinese call this drink "the drink of longevity." This noble drink, due to the large amount of antioxidants, slows down the aging process and accelerates the metabolism of bioactive substances in the composition. One of the most beneficial elements found in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate. This substance has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
According to experts, if you infuse green tea for two minutes, then the tea will have tonic properties, and if five minutes – soothing. Green tea does not need to be brewed longer – then it loses all its benefits.
But green tea alsohas disadvantages. It contains polyphenols in significant doses, which have a depressant effect on the liver. Headaches, tremors of the limbs and insomnia threaten those who drink this tea hard and excessively. It can be drunk 4 to 6 cups a day and is best not sweetened with sugar.
Black tea is great for cleansing the lungs. Therefore, it is recommended to drink it for people with upper respiratory tract problems. By the way, black tea protects against the harm caused by tobacco smoke. In general, in contact with all sorts of toxic substances, black tea is simply irreplaceable, because it is an excellent antioxidant. Black tea promotes metabolism and slows down aging. If green tea is advised to drink for hypertensive patients, then black tea is more suitable for those with low blood pressure. Unlike green tea, black tea is less irritating, meaning less likely to cause sleep problems. It is useful to drink black tea for colds. Thanks to the vitamins contained in this drink, tea is considered one of the most effective remedies for fighting colds and a number of other infectious diseases.
If you regularly drink, without overusing, high-quality, properly brewed black tea, you can stop suffering from migraines. Indeed, it dilates blood vessels. With constant intense physical exertion, decreased performance, overwork, a cup of this drink will raise blood pressure and give strength.
Black tea can be harmful if drunk very hard or consumed in large quantities. Doctors advise against overusing tea during exacerbations of chronic diseases, mood swings, sleep disturbances or during pregnancy. Also, I recommend contacting a specialist in case of peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, arterial or ocular pressure.
Remember:
- Do not drink black tea on an empty stomach.
- Do not brew the same infusion more than three times.
- Do not use an infusion that has stood for more than five hours.
The benefits and harms of green or black tea depend on their quality, the amount of the drink drunk and the correct preparation.