Tea Soothes Your Soul and Supports Your Well-Being
Throughout history, many generations have used a hot cup of tea to promote mental and physical wellness. The discovery of tea dates to 2732 B.C., when leaves from a wild tree blew into Chinese Emperor Shen Nung’s pot of boiling water and the pleasant scent compelled him to take a sip. The legend says that the emperor described how the liquid gave him a warm feeling (https://books.google.com/books/about/All_the_Tea_in_China.html?id=CfiPtgAACAAJ&source=kp_book_description) that invigorated his body and soul.
Today, tea is the second most consumed beverage after water (https://books.google.com/books/about/All_the_Tea_in_China.html?id=CfiPtgAACAAJ&source=kp_book_description) around the world, with more than 3,000 varieties of available. Whether you prefer it hot or iced, drinking a cup of tea can help soothe your soul and support your well-being.
What the Research Tell Us
Tea is high in antioxidants called flavonoids, specifically polyphenols, which help the body to eliminate free radicals (https://www.uchealth.org/today/the-health-benefits-of-drinking-tea/) that otherwise damage proteins, DNA, and lipids.
Benefits of some popular varieties include:
- Black tea: Drinking black tea on a regular basis may help to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease (https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/press-releases/2022/health-benefits-black-tea) and improve high and low blood pressure (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6512146/).
- Chamomile tea: Traditionally, chamomile has been used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mild astringent, and healing tonic. It may (https://www.spandidos-publications.com/mmr/3/6/895)improve (https://www.spandidos-publications.com/mmr/3/6/895) cardiovascular conditions, the immune system, and sleep.
- Ginger tea: Ginger tea boasts many of the same benefits of the ginger root (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits). It contains gingerol, which improves gastrointestinal mobility and relieves nausea and bloating.
- Green tea: High in flavonoids, green tea can help (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-014-0720-1)boost (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-014-0720-1) heart health (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-014-0720-1) by lowering LDL cholesterol and reducing blood clotting (https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/december/health-benefits-of-tea). Green tea may also have an impact (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-008-0372-0) on liver, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
- White tea: The variety with the highest levels of antioxidants (https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2014/07/23/health-benefits-white-tea), white tea also has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties (https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01705.x).
How to Practice
Using your favorite recipe or a new one from this article and sidebar, brew your own tea to reap the benefits of the soothing beverage.