Benefits of Green & Black Tea

Although coffee has been the drink powering Americans for years, tea is catching up. Just like your favorite coffee, tea comes in different flavors, which have their fans and much-touted benefits. According to TeaBenefits.com, two of the most popular types of tea are green tea and black tea. Other than the color, what is the difference between these two?

History

According to the Grey's Teas website, tea is believed to have been discovered by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung more than 5,000 years ago. Shen Nung was a scholar and, so the story goes, after a hard session of studying outside, he stopped beneath a tree to boil some drinking water. Luckily for the world, the tree was a tea tree. As the emperor was boiling his water, some of the leaves fell off the tree and into his drink. The emperor tasted the tea and found it delicious.

Types

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), there are three main types of tea: black, green and oolong. Black tea and green tea are actually from the same plant---the difference in their color comes from the way in which they are prepared. Black tea leaves are dried out after they are rolled and processed. This causes natural oxidation, which turns the leaves black. Green teas, on the other hand, are gently heated after being picked. The heating process destroys the enzymes that cause oxidation, allowing the tea to retain its natural green color.

Black Tea

During the 1300s, the Chinese began growing black tea in order to trade it in the West, as it has a longer shelf life than green tea. The medicinal benefits of black tea have been known at least since the 1660s, according to Grey's Teas. While the focus of late has been on green tea, lowered cholesterol levels, diarrhea relief and even the prevention of tooth decay are a few of the beneficial effects of black tea, says TeaBenefits.com. The caffeine in black tea---about one-third as much as in coffee---helps with concentration and keeps the drinker mentally alert.

Green Tea

Like black tea, green tea contains fluoride, which strengthens and protects teeth from the bacteria that cause tooth decay. The UMMC reports that green tea acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, and also shows potential as a weight-loss aid and a blood-sugar reducer. Where green tea really shines, however, is in its antioxidant potential.

Antioxidants reduce free radicals, which are by-products in your system from the foods you eat or toxins in the environment. Free radicals damage cells and may encourage development of cancer and other illnesses, so increasing the antioxidants in your body is always a good thing. Enter green tea. Because green tea undergoes less processing than black tea, it contains a higher number of antioxidants, as confirmed in a 2002 Korean study published in the Journal of Nutrition. The antioxidants in green tea, says UMMC, have been shown in some studies to prevent or even halt cancer.

Considerations

No matter which style of tea you choose, check with your doctor before using tea to improve your health or in place of medication. If you're looking for the perfect cup of tea, you'll find black and green varieties at most grocery and health food stores. For the best flavor, use filtered water (if you normally filter your water), and don't boil it for too long. Grey's Teas recommends letting the water cool slightly when making green tea, and steeping for three minutes; black tea should steep for five minutes. Green tea makes a refreshing drink on a hot day; pour into a pitcher after steeping, chill and then serve over crushed ice.

References

• History of Tea
• Types of Tea
• Tea Benefits - University of Maryland

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Tea Benefits
• Green Tea Benefits
• Journal of Nutrition - Tea and Antioxidants