Black Tea May Promote Healthy Cognition And Reduce Inflammation
Green tea gets most of the hype for its potentially health-boosting properties, but black tea appears to offer plenty of health benefits, too.
Retelny notes that scientific evidence suggests black tea may play a role in preventing cognitive decline, inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, and potentially cancer.
One study published in January 2016 in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging found that regularly drinking black tea was associated with a lower risk of developing a neurocognitive disorder, such as dementia, in the elderly, particularly for elderly women.
If you are looking to fend off type 2 diabetes and dont care for green tea, the black variety could be an effective alternative, suggests one review.
Black tea also contains flavonoids , which may help lower cancer risk. A study published in August 2019 in the journal Nature Communications shows that a diet rich in flavonoids may help protect against cancer and heart disease.
Certain Teas Bring Down Inflammation More Than Others
Some specific teas carry more polyphenols than others, which can better decrease inflammation. For example, green tea is usually higher in polyphenols than black tea, according to Dr. Kiefer. Its a concept thats been studied in recent years, like one 2016 study that centered on people with rheumatoid arthritisover six months, experts observed significant improvement when it came to the symptoms of the green-tea drinkers.
Green tea probably works best as part of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and associated nutritional changes that can help the body combat inflammation, Dr. Kiefer says.
Other teas that researchers believe reduce inflammation include turmeric, holy basil, and ginger.
Best For Overall Health: Green Tea
When it comes to tea, green tea gets the gold. Green tea is the champ when it comes to offering health benefits, says Czerwony. Its the Swiss Army knife of teas. It covers a lot of territory.
A medical literature review offers a snapshot of those benefits, linking the consumption of green tea to:
The healing power of green tea is linked to catechin, an antioxidant compound found in tea leaves. It helps protect your cells from damage caused by out-of-hand free radicals reacting with other molecules in your body.
All that, plus green tea tastes pretty darn good, too.
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Peppermint Tea Is Associated With A Healthy Digestive System
Like ginger, peppermint is known for promoting healthy digestion. Peppermint herbal tea can be a great option to help support digestion, says Al Bochi. Peppermint contains a compound called menthol that can help relax the intestinal tract and help relieve bloating.
Some studies in animal models have shown that peppermint can specifically help relax gastrointestinal tissues, a review notes. Another review found that peppermint oil is a safe and effective short-term treatment for irritable bowel syndrome , though its worth noting that peppermint oil is more highly concentrated than peppermint tea.
Other research, published in February 2019 in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences, shows that peppermint could ease chest pain and help people with esophagus disorders better swallow their food, potentially by helping relax smooth muscle located in the lower esophagus.
Because peppermint tea doesnt contain any caffeine, its also a great option for a soothing drink before bed.
When To Seek A Doctors Advice
Although eating and drinking anti-inflammatory foods can help ease your daily arthritis pain, if you are experiencing prolonged joint pain or think you may have degenerative joint issues, dont delay in seeing your orthopaedist. We provide comprehensive orthopaedic and spine care at locations across Wake County. Our orthopaedic specialists can recommend the best course of treatment. Contact us to book an appointment.
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Fight Inflammation With A Cup Of Tea
You want to be hipper and healthier? Drink tea. Green, black, oolong and white teas are loaded with polyphenols, plant-derived compounds that rev up the immune system and may protect against certain diseases, including arthritis.
Tea drinking boosts T cells ability to react against bacterial and viral infections, says Jack F. Bukowski, MD, PhD, a rheumatologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. This action helps your body fight off colds and flu. I suspect this is good for people with rheumatoid arthritis, who are taking immunosuppressive medications that make them more susceptible to infection, he says.Studies show that tea may have anti-inflammatory properties. In lab studies, Case Western Reserve University researchers in Cleveland showed EGCG may halt arthritis progression by blocking interleukin-1, a pro-inflammatory cell, from damaging cartilage.
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Fennel Tea May Ease Menopause Symptoms
Another tea that helps with digestion? Fennel. Fennel also relaxes digestive muscles to help with bowel regularity, says Al Bonchi. A review published in the Arabian Journal of Chemistry in November 2016 says that fennel, which has long been known as a medicinal plant, is widely used for treating digestive issues as well as IBS. The review cites polyphenols as one reason for fennels antioxidant properties.
Furthermore, fennel may help ease menopause symptoms in postmenopausal women without serious side effects, according to a small study using fennel in capsule form, which was published in September 2017 in the journal Menopause.
Interested in trying fennel tea? You can buy fennel tea in tea bags or crush fennel seeds and steep for a few minutes in a tea ball.
Risks And Side Effects
Its possible that youre allergic to one of these anti-inflammatory herbs, so discontinue drinking the tea if you experience food allergy symptoms, like itching, swelling or hives.
Drinking too much of these top anti-inflammatory teas may, in some cases, cause heart burn, diarrhea or upset stomach. If this occurs, cut back on the amount of tea you are consuming.
When drinking anti-inflammatory teas for medicinal or therapeutic purposes, stick to 12 cups a day, unless advised differently by your healthcare professional. This will minimize the risk of adverse side effects.
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How Much Tea Should I Drink To Reduce Inflammation
We’ve evaluated many studies over the years and found that the sweet spot is 4-6 cups per day. While you can certainly drink more tea, we don’t recommend overdoing. Simply sipping tea throughout the day will ensure that all these compounds are always present in your system. Switch to caffeine free herbs later in the day and before bed.
1 cup = 8 ounces. This isn’t a lot of liquid. Many tea pots or other tea brewing equipment start in the 12-16 ounce range. So as an example, a 16 ounce pot of tea in the morning, a couple of glasses of iced tea during that day and some herbal tea at night will easily put you in the 6 cup range. Remember, tea also hydrates – and therefore you can use it as a water substitute.
How To Buy Turmeric
For fresh preparations, you can find turmeric root in the produce section of some supermarkets. Keep in mind that turmeric is highly staining and has been used as a vibrant yellow dye. Protect cutting surfaces and your hands when you prepare it!
Powdered turmeric is useful for making pastes and flavoring food. This can be found in the bulk section or in the spice aisle of the supermarket.
If youd like to skip the yellow powder or staining root, here are three of our ready-to-make turmeric preparations.
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Teas To Drink For A Healthier Body And Mind
From black and green to hibiscus and chamomile, tea may help you stave off disease, manage a healthy weight, ease physical discomfort, and more.
Do you love sipping an energizing cup of green tea when you rise or a calming cup of chamomile before bedtime? Youre in luck: Tea is not just a refreshing drink it may offer a host of health benefits.
Tea is a plant-based beverage that has been shown to have many nourishing properties, says Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, the Chicago-based author of The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods. As a soothing warm or cold beverage, tea contains plant compounds called polyphenols, which are antioxidants that give tea its medicinal benefits.
For example, phytochemicals the plant-based polyphenols in tea may play a role in preventing or delaying cell damage and in protecting cells from cancer-causing substances, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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Also, a small study published in June 2019 in the journal Aging found that, compared with those who didnt drink tea, older adults who regularly drank tea had better organized brain regions, which is associated with healthier cognitive function.
Keep in mind, though, that not all studies look at tea in liquid form some research uses capsules or tablets, which may provide study participants with a more potent dose.
Drinking Tea For Inflammation And Back Pain
Individuals and doctors have praised the anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving properties of drinking tea. Inflammation is the bodys natural immune response when injury and infection present. This is good. However, its meant to be a temporary response that deactivates when there is no longer any danger. When the body is exposed to various irritants like industrial chemicals, inflammatory foods like sugar, refined carbohydrates, and autoimmune disorderscan cause the immune system to go into overdrive. Chronic inflammation can develop, circulating powerful hormones and chemicals through the body, causing damage to the cells. One consequence of chronic inflammation is back pain. Besides standard backaches, some chronic conditions are directly tied to inflammation. These include forms of arthritis:
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- These conditions involve inflammation of the central nervous system.
- Drinking tea can help with back pain and pain in general.
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Turmeric Tea Ingredients And Benefits
Turmeric: Bright yellow root from India you can buy it fresh at a health food store or in a powder form. Turmeric contains chemical compound curcumin that acts as anti-inflammatory, pain killer and cholesterol regulator. Turmeric also has been shown to kill cancer cells, help manage depression and prevent arthritis.
Ginger: Guess what? Fresh ginger root is not only good for making curries and stir fries but also for flavoring kombucha. Added to tea it will help you reduce nausea. Ginger, like turmeric , has high anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant and immune boosting properties.
I always buy local organic ginger root because majority of conventional one is grown in China .
Raw Honey: I added a few tablespoons of raw honey to make turmeric tea taste good. I buy local raw honey instead of store-bought pasteurized one because its nutrients and vitamins havent been killed during heating pasteurization process. Raw honey is a good source of antioxidants, has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and is filled with phytonutrients.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Kills bacteria, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, and aids with weight loss.
Orange: Optional but it adds nice flavour, more sweetness and vitamin C.
Does Herbal Tea Make Acidity Or Bloating Worse
There are many herbal teas out there that can help reduce the discomfort around acidity and bloating but then there are one or two teas that may actually make it worse. Peppermint tea and spearmint tea are two to consume with care if you have acid reflux. While they both come loaded with soothing properties for the digestive system, drinking too much can trigger your condition. Also, skip out on the sugar and lemons when prepping your herbal tea as these too can heighten acidity.
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How Much Caffeine In Black Tea
According to Health Canada, the average cup of black tea contains about 43 mg of caffeine. The average cup of green tea contains about 30 mg of caffeine .
Compare this to caffeine in other beverages
- 8 oz of brewed coffee 135 mg
- 8 oz of cola 41 mg
- 8 oz of diet cola 30 mg
- 8 oz of chocolate milk 8 mg
- 1 oz of baking chocolate 41 mg
If you are sensitive to caffeine, you could drink decaffeinated teas. But, they will contain fewer polyphenols .
What’s The Best Tea For Inflammation
If youve ever twisted your knee, cut your finger, or been stung by an insect, you have firsthand experience with inflammation. The familiar sensations of pain, redness, swelling, and heat that result from an injury or infection are hallmarks of the inflammatory process. Inflammation represents an essential survival mechanism that helps the body fight off hostile microbes and repair damaged tissue. Yet there is another side of inflammation that can be harmful rather than helpful to human health. Theres evidence that inflammation, promoted in part by such factors as obesity, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle, contributes to a variety of diseases.
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Its Not For Every Pain
While some back conditions may benefit from regular tea drinking, others wont. Dr. Manzi says, If there is a structural problem or a fracture, then drinking tea may not likely cure back pain with its mild anti-inflammatory properties.
Dr. Kiefer emphasizes that its very important that anyone with back pain be evaluated by a healthcare provider, and echoes Dr. Manzis opinion. He says, There are some types of back pain that require more involved treatments, even immediate treatments, and those cases are not appropriate for treatment with tea.
There Are Two Forms Of Inflammation: Acute And Chronic
Acute inflammation comes on rapidly, usually within minutes, but is generally short-lived. Many of the mechanisms that spring into action to destroy invading microbes switch gears to cart away dead cells and repair damaged ones. This cycle returns the affected area to a state of balance, and inflammation dissipates within a few hours or days.
Chronic inflammation often begins with the same cellular response, but morphs into a lingering state that persists for months or years when the immune system response fails to eliminate the problem. Alternatively, the inflammation may stay active even after the initial threat has been eliminated. In other cases, low-level inflammation becomes activated even when there is no apparent injury or disease. Unchecked, the immune system prompts white blood cells to attack nearby healthy tissues and organs, setting up a chronic inflammatory process that plays a central role in some of the most challenging diseases of our time, including rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and even Alzheimers.
Chronic inflammation is heavily influenced by lifestyle choices, diet and genetic history. Genetics are something we can’t control, but diet and lifestyle are.
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Lower Body Weight Reduced Risk Of Diabetes And Cardiovascular Disease
Since 2005, many studies proving or disproving green teas benefits on obesity, body fat, and cholesterol levels have appeared. The general consensus is summarized in 2016 research from Rutgers University published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
- Tea consumption at the levels of 34 cups or more a day has shown to reduce body weight gain, alleviate Metabolic Syndrome and reduce the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Beverages To Ease Arthritis Pain
Remember the saying You are what you eat? Well, turns out you are what you drink, too! When we think of nutrition, we often think only of solid foods. But what you drink is a large part of what we put into our bodies and should be considered as part of our overall nutrition. Making healthy beverage choices is equally as important as choosing healthy foods.
What you eat and drink is passed on as information to your bodys organs and can have an adverse effect on how you feel. Consuming sugary drinks such as soda can negatively affect your bodys ability to absorb calcium. Instead, try these drinks. Besides being healthy choices, you may very well find them to help relieve arthritis pain!
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Helps In Cancer Prevention
Turmeric ginger tea has excellent antioxidant properties, which is why it is believed to have anti-cancer properties as well. Studies have found that turmeric and ginger contain compounds that are capable of inhibiting the growth of cancerous tissues.
Turmeric is believed to fight the growth of lung cancer. Ginger is one of the most effective natural treatments available for ovarian cancer.
Chamomile Tea May Aid Sleep And Support Immunity
If youre feeling wired at bedtime, consider sipping a cup of chamomile tea to wind down. Since chamomile tea is an herbal tea that contains no caffeine, it can be a calming beverage before bed, says Retelny.
Chamomile is in the daisy family and is widely used all over the world, explains Retelny. Its one of the oldest documented medicinal plants with a variety of healing properties.
Thats not all, though. Chamomile tea may support immune health, which we could all use right about now, says Retelny. A review suggests that chamomile tea may help stimulate the immune system, but the researchers do suggest that more clinical trials need to be done.
Drinking chamomile tea may also be beneficial for women experiencing premenstrual syndrome, according to a review published in December 2019 in the Journal of Pharmacopuncture. Researchers noted the teas anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties.
More research suggested that drinking chamomile tea was associated with a decreased mortality risk in Hispanic women over 65.
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