What needs to be part of your routine? One word: tea. What does it mean to you? Does it remind you of curling up on a comfy chair with a good book or your favorite Netflix show? Does it make you reminisce about your loved ones bringing you tea with honey when you're feeling sick? Is it a part of your cultural identity or a daily routine? Whatever your relationship is with tea, it's time to consider making tea a more regular part of your routine. Tea has a myriad of physical and mental health benefits: it helps soothe muscle spasms and menstrual pains; it keeps hair and skin healthy, and can be applied directly to the skin to soothe irritations and acne; it fights free radicals that cause cancer and helps lower cholesterol; and it can help with relaxation and improving your mood. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of different teas.
Green Tea
Green tea can be enjoyed in a variety of ways: as fully matured green tea, as matcha (a powder made from ground up baby green tea leaves), or as an extract found in skin products. Both green tea and matcha contain antioxidants, vitamins, and amino acids that fight skin cancer and assist in detoxing. Green tea is also anti-inflammatory, which makes it a great ingredient in skin care products that reduce redness and swelling.
Herbal Teas
There are plenty of herbal teas with wonderful benefits, but here are a few worth mentioning. Lavender tea smells as soothing as it tastes. Lavender has been used to treat depression and anxiety and it also helps to promote sleep. On its own, lavender tea isn't caffeinated, but it can easily be mixed with black or green tea if you want some caffeination. Peppermint tea is another pleasant smelling and soothing tea. It contains menthol, which can help soothe an upset stomach and aid in constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. It also helps alleviate tension from headaches. Hibiscus tea, made from the hibiscus flower, has a floral yet earthy taste. It helps lower blood pressure and fat levels, improves liver health, and also assists in staving off food cravings.
Black Tea
Black tea is probably what comes to mind for many of us when we think about tea. Black tea has a darker color and richer flavor, and higher caffeine levels than green or herbal teas. Some studies show that black tea may protect the lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It may also mitigate the risk of stroke. Black tea can be a great alternative for people who don't handle coffee well, as tea is more soothing and doesn't cause jitters the way that coffee can.