We evaluate the nutritional aspects of tea consumption, and whether these vary between black tea and green tea. If you’d like to know more about the antioxidant capacity of tea, read more here.
Tea – the perfect quick-fix
Can tea be a great pick-me-up at any time of the day?
Here are a few reasons why tea might be a great option for a quick-fix at any time of the day:
- Tea is a natural beverage that does not contain chemicals such as preservatives and colourants, making it safe for consumption without having to worry about artificial additives.
- With negligible levels of major food groups (carbohydrates, proteins and fats), plain tea has a calorific value of near-zero.
- Unlike most other snacks and beverages, tea contains an insignificant amount of sodium, thereby reducing the risk of developing high blood pressure and cardiac disease.
- Unless added by you, tea contains no natural sweetness that could contribute towards the development or upsurge of diabetes. Rather, research suggests that tea can in fact reduce the absorption of glucose from the diet into the blood, while also making insulin more effective – phenomena that could reduce the risk or impact of Type 2 diabetes.
Green or black – what’s your cuppa?
Is green tea healthier than black tea?
There is a common misconception that green tea is more potent than black tea in terms of health benefits – particularly for weight loss. The principal difference between the two tea types lies in the fact that most of green tea’s polyphenols are retained as catechins, while in black tea these get converted to rubigins and theaflavins.
In the past, tea research was largely limited to China and Japan, the world’s largest green tea-producing countries. Hence, most publications – including those related to tea and health benefits – focused on green tea. However, in recent years, more countries have taken an interest in carrying out research on tea, including on black tea. Publications based on newer research suggest that health benefits associated with drinking green tea and black tea are in fact similar to one another.
