Tannin, caffeine and antioxidants - which tea is better?

Black, green or white? Which tea is healthier and why? How does caffeine in tea differ from caffeine in coffee? What is so good about matcha tea? And what kind of herbal tea to drink to improve digestion and immunity? The answers to these and other questions about tea - in this post.

Green, black, white, oolong

Black, green, white tea and oolong tea are made from the camellia sinensis plant and they differ mainly in processing methods. In the process of fermentation, tea leaves are crushed and rolled, and during oxidation, their composition at the phytochemical level changes. White tea is made from buds and young leaves, green - from more mature ones. Both of these species belong to unfermented tea, rich in catechins - polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties. They strengthen the cardiovascular system, reduce the risks of tumor diseases and improve digestion.

The longer the fermentation process lasts, the less useful catechins in tea (for comparison: in green - 70 mg per 100 ml of brewed tea, in white - 42 mg, in oolong - 34 mg, in black tea - 9 mg). That is why green tea is considered to be more beneficial than black tea. Numerous studies show that regular consumption of green tea improves our metabolism, immunity, memory, and even prolongs life.

More benefits

The longer it takes to brew green tea, the more catechins it contains. Green tea brewed for 5 minutes contains 4 times (!) more catechins than exactly the same tea, brewed for 1 minute. It is also believed that by adding a little lemon to tea and holding it in the mouth for a few seconds before swallowing, we make tea catechins more bioactive and simplify their absorption by the body.

Polyphenols dissolve well only in hot water, which is why tea is not brewed with cold water. At the same time, the cooled tea leaves often grow cloudy - this is also a property of polyphenols. If the tea leaves do not become turbid when cooled, this means that the content of beneficial polyphenols in tea is very low.

A portion of caffeine

The caffeine content in tea is influenced by many factors: the variety of tea, the climate, the soil, as well as the degree of fermentation of the tea leaf and the method of its collection. Water temperature during brewing matters too. The hotter the water, the more actively the caffeine is released. You can find different information about how much caffeine tea contains. According to one data, black tea contains more caffeine than oolong or green tea. Others say that green tea is less fermented than black, so more caffeine is stored in it - about 70–80 mg per cup of tea.

Caffeine in tea acts more gently on the body than caffeine in coffee. Caffeine in tea is not present in its pure form, but in combination with tannin - together they form theine, which is absorbed into the blood  more slowly. It is believed that caffeine in tea does not develop addiction. But in any case, drinks containing caffeine are not recommended for children, as they have the fragile nervous system. Also, caffeine is not recommended for adults with high blood pressure, pregnant and lactating women (the amount of black and green tea should not exceed two cups per day).


★ Herbal tea, tea from spices and rooibos do not contain caffeine, but if you exclude caffeine, always carefully read the composition - often among the ingredients of herbal tea you can find green tea.

Crazy about the matcha

Matcha tea is known in Japan for 900 years. Buddhist monks drank a cup of this elixir before starting a meditation. Matcha tea is made from powdered leaves called tencha. These leaves are grown in the shade, hidden from the sun, which significantly increases the content of chlorophyll in them - this explains the emerald color of the matcha powder. Matcha leaves are hand-picked and steamed to avoid oxidation. The matcha has the highest content of antioxidants compared to other varieties of tea (three times more than green tea), energizes, despite the fact that it contains two times less caffeine than coffee, and strengthens the immune system.

Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, it is believed that the right combination of herbs contribute to the balance of doshas. Vatta types are recommended tea made from licorice, ginger, cinnamon, fennel, thyme, clove, eucalyptus. These herbs help to relax and improve digestion. For the Pita constitution: raspberry, burdock root, dandelion root, mint, hibiscus - they also improve digestion, make the mind clearer and help to cope with turbulent emotions. For the kapha type - ginger, peppermint, cinnamon, cardamom, thyme - these herbs improve mood and invigorate well.