
Tea Antioxidants: Health Benefit of Tea
Date: Tuesday, November 01 @ 12:48:20 MSK Topic: Food & Nutrition
Tea leaves offer a wealth of health benefits. Steamy or iced, chai or green, bottled or not: Tea is hot, and getting hotter. Tea drinkers are getting as passionate and picky about their drink of choice as the most snobby oenophile is about her wine.
While many people still want their Starbucks coffee fix, a growing crowd is looking for a leafier sip. The difference between people who drink coffee and those who drink tea is similar to the difference between beer and wine drinkers. Tea drinkers are looking for a relaxing experience, while coffee drinkers tend to slug coffee for a jolt of energy.
Beyond its pure enjoyment, tea is packed with health perks. The heart-health and cancer-preventive benefits of black and green teas are well-publicized. And more research is under way; some studies suggest tea may also increase bone-mineral density, boost immunity, fight cavities, combat diabetes, and reduce body fat.
What makes it so healthy? Scientists point to a group of natural antioxidants called catechins present in all teas, but not in coffee. Certain antioxidants can protect against exposure to ultraviolet light and its consequences, such as sun damage and skin cancer. And while coffee’s caffeine is known to sharpen concentration, tea has caffeine, too, sometimes as much as or more than coffee.
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