Black Tea: 10 health benefits and how to prepare it

Black tea is rich in antioxidants and compounds that help reduce inflammation in the body, besides being one of the most consumed beverages worldwide. Thanks to its properties, it has been found to provide various health benefits such as helping to improve digestion, lose weight and control diabetes.

The difference between green tea and black tea consists in how the leaves are treated, since both come from the same plant called Camellia sinensis, however in green tea the leaves are fresher and are exposed to some heat, while in black tea these are oxidized and fermented, which makes its flavor more intense and alters a little its medicinal properties.

Black Tea: 10 health benefits and how to prepare it

The main benefits of black tea are:

1. Prevent premature aging

Black tea is rich in antioxidants that prevent excessive oxidation and act benefiting all cells, allowing better cellular oxygenation, keeping cells healthy longer.

2. Facilitate digestion

Black tea is a good choice when you have a full stomach, as it acts directly on the digestive system, facilitating digestion and purifying the body.

3. Decrease appetite and promote weight loss

Regular consumption of a cup of black tea for at least about 3 months could help decrease appetite and cravings for sweets, thus promoting weight loss and shaping the waistline. It is believed that this property could be due to its high antioxidant power derived from the flavones contained in this type of tea.

By decreasing appetite, black tea helps speed up metabolism, so it is important to eat a balanced diet with little fat and sugar, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds and fish. It is also essential to practice some kind of physical activity, such as walking 30 minutes a day.

4. Help control diabetes

Black tea has hypoglycemic action, being a good support in case of diabetes or prediabetes, due to the healing effect it has on the β-cells of the pancreas.

5. Increase the chances of getting pregnant

Regular intake of 2 cups of black tea a day increases a woman’s chances of getting pregnant in each menstrual cycle. Thus, when the couple has plans to have a child, it is recommended that the woman consume black tea on a regular basis. 

6. Help cleanse the skin

Apply black tea on the skin and a good way to combat acne and oily skin. Simply brew the tea and when it is lukewarm apply with a gauze or cotton directly on the area you want to treat. Leave it on for a few minutes and wash your face afterwards.

7. Lower cholesterol

Black tea extract promotes an increase in cholesterol metabolism, probably by inhibiting the reabsorption of bile acids, and can be used in the prevention of metabolic syndrome.

8. Prevent atherosclerosis plaques and infarction

Black tea is rich in flavonoids, known to protect the cardiovascular system, as they prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, responsible for the formation of atheromatous plaques, which increase the risk of thrombosis.

9. Keep the brain alert

Another benefit of black tea is to keep the brain alert because this tea has caffeine and L-Theanine that improve cognitive performance and increase alertness, so it is a good choice for breakfast or after lunch. Its effect can be noticed around 30 minutes after ingestion.

10. Help prevent cancer

Due to the presence of catechins, black tea also helps prevent and fight cancer. It is also believed that this may occur due to the protective effect on the DNA of cells, and the induction of apoptosis of tumor cells. 

How to prepare black tea

To reap the full benefits of black tea follow the steps in the following recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 black tea bag or 1 teaspoon of black tea;
  • 1 cup of boiling water.

    • How to prepare:

    Add the black tea bag or black tea leaves to the cup of boiling water, cover and steep for about 5 minutes minimum. Strain and drink warm, sweetened or not.

    Those people who have insomnia, can consume black tea with the difference that it is left to infuse for about 10 minutes.making its flavor more intense without making you sleepy. Black tea prepared with less than 5 minutes of infusion, has the opposite effect, as it keeps the brain more active so when prepared in this way should be avoided consuming it until after 19 hours. 

    For a smooth taste, you can add a little warm milk or half a squeezed lemon.

    Contraindications

    Black tea is not recommended for children under 12 years of age or for babies.

    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Working out with a cut finger on the gym: What should you do?

    Image
    You’re looking to get your body in shape, and maybe even lose some weight. You’ve been working hard at it for months now and so far you’ve had good results. But then this morning while shaving you nicked yourself. Now there’s a cut on your index finger that is starting to throb and bleed again after having stopped for awhile. All of sudden things are not going as planned, but what should you do? Should you go ahead with your workout or will it only make things worse? There are three options available: Continue Working Out, Work Out With Protective Gear, Skip The Workout Altogether . Continue Working out with a cut finger. You can continue to work out with a cut finger on the gym. The risk of getting an infection is very low, and if you’re careful to disinfect the skin after each work out it’s not going to be a problem. Of course there are other things to consider as well: The healing process will take longer, so you’ll probably have some scarrin...
    Read more

    Home Remedies For Canker Sores

    Image
    An excellent home remedy to cure canker sores, also called postemillas, sores or fires in the mouth, is the balm with essential oil of laurel, as it helps relieve pain and inflammation. In addition to this, basil tea is also an excellent natural remedy to treat canker sores in the mouth, as they possess analgesic properties that reduce pain and antiseptic, leaving the region clean of microorganisms. To complement the natural treatment and accelerate the healing of sores, it is also possible to gargle or rinse your mouth with warm water and salt, 2 to 3 times a day, since salt is antibacterial, thus fighting bacteria, reducing inflammation and pain.  Best home remedies Home remedies are excellent alternatives to cure postemillas quickly, because they are prepared with plants rich in tannins. These compounds have astringent, anti-inflammatory and healing properties, causing the tissues to retract, reducing inflammation, relieving pain and facilitating the healing of lesions. These plants...
    Read more

    Diet For Diverticulitis: What To Eat And What To Avoid

    Image
    The diet for diverticulitis should be started with clear, easily digestible liquids such as chicken broth, strained and blended fruit juices, coconut water and gelatin. At the beginning, this type of food should be used because it is necessary to calm the intestine, keep it at rest and prevent or reduce the formation of stool. Diverticulitis crises arise when the diverticula of the colon, which are abnormal pouches that form in the wall of the intestine, become inflamed or infected and cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and constipation. For this reason the foods to be consumed should be easy to digest and low in fiber.  Once the diverticulitis crisis improves, the diet also adapts from a liquid diet to a pureed diet, until solid foods are consumed again. From then on, it is important to increase the consumption of foods rich in fiber and water, thus avoiding the possibility of another crisis.  What to eat during a diverticulitis crisis At the onset of a diverticul...
    Read more