As a physician, I always thought of tea as one of those foods that could put doctors out of business. After all, there is extensive conclusive research evidence showing that tea—all kinds of tea—impacts our health in many domains. For example, a study of nearly half a million people in the United Kingdom (UK) found that people who drink two or more cups of tea a day live longer than those who do not drink tea.
Tea is second only to water as the most-consumed beverage. On average, about two-thirds of the world’s population drinks about two cups of tea (450 mL to 500 mL) per day. So, if you are not much of a tea drinker, maybe now is the time to try it out and find a favorite tea.
However, your favorite cup of tea may have nothing to do with its health benefits. Perhaps the taste, aroma, appearance, or availability of a particular tea is what makes it your favorite. In this article, we will look at the various aspects of teas that could make one your favorite and let you decide … regardless of what you look for in your daily drink.
Types of Teas on the Market
Even though there are many types of tea, they all come from the same plant: the Camellia sinensis plant, although some farms may produce sub-varieties of the plant. The tea that we drink is manufactured from various parts of the plant: the leaves, buds, or internodes (the segments of stem between branches).
The different types of teas all come from the same plant; the teas differ based on what part of the plant they came from and how they are processed. The four most common types of tea are:
- White tea
- Green tea
- Oolong tea (a traditional Chinese tea produced in a specific way)
- Black tea
Health Aspects—Is One Tea Better Than Others?
For many years, the health aspects of green tea were touted, so much so that green tea went from obscurity to being a household name. And it is true—green tea is a type of “superfood,” with antioxidant and other biochemical properties that make it a health-supporting and disease-preventing panacea. However, more recent research has shown that other types of tea are just as “super” as the green tea “superfood”.
As a doctor and biochemist, I cannot help but be amazed at the medicinal properties found in teas of all kinds. Tea is like a pharmacy in itself, yielding over 4000 bioactive compounds. In particular, the “polyphenols” offered by tea give it potentially unlimited therapeutic potential. Indeed, tea’s utility for preventing and even managing cancer, diabetes, infections, neurological diseases, and a host of other illnesses is well documented.
Taste
Tea is farmed in the humid tropical areas of Southeast Asia, and by the time it is processed, it can provide a wide range of colors, aromas, tastes, and astringency. These will vary depending on which part of the plant is used to make the tea, the degree of fermentation, the season of picking, and what other processing techniques are used.
Fermentation is a processing technique used for some teas that greatly affects the biochemical content of the final product, so it has a profound effect on the tastes and aromas of the tea. Fermentation involves allowing the tea to sit in a damp environment so that microorganisms can break down compounds in the leaves.
How the tea is brewed and prepared may also impact the flavor. For example, steeping in hot water versus cold infusion will impact the nature of the drink. Adding milk or sugar or other sweeteners will also change the end flavor.
Finally, teas are often offered as blends, where the tea is combined with dried berries, spices, or flavors (such as chocolate), so many people may find their favorite tea in a blend.
Finding Your Favorite Tea
Finding your favorite tea can be a fun project. There are so many different types and blends to try out that it can be an adventure of sorts. There are vendors—online and in stores—who specialize in teas that can be an excellent source of information and suggestions. Nevertheless, we can make a few suggestions here.
Herbal teas are not true teas in that they are not derived from the tea plant. Rather, they are made from dried herbs, spices, berries, flowers, and/or fruits. As such, they may not have the health benefits, aromas, and astringency that we get from tea, but you may find your favorite “tea” among these herbal preparations.
Drinking tea too hot (hotter than 65 degrees) has been linked to an increased risk of throat cancer despite the cancer-fighting antioxidants that are rich in tea. So, when you search for and find your favorite tea, avoid drinking it too hot.
Cold-infused tea has much fewer health-promoting compounds (such as antioxidants) than hot-steeped tea because hot water allows more bioactive chemicals to dissolve in the water. As such, cold-brewed tea has less caffeine, is less colored and astringent, and has a softer flavor than hot-brewed tea. However, if allowed to brew for 12 hours before drinking, cold-infused tea will have a much higher content of the biochemicals we find in hot tea.
