It seems the health claims made about tea are as varied as the varieties of tea!
We’d like to look at a few of those claims and see which ones hold up to water–or should we say tea!
Is Tea Good for My Teeth?
Kinda,.. yeah. The tannins in tea can stain your teeth which is not attractive, but those stains don’t hurt the health of your teeth. Those same tannins as well as the flouride and catechins in tea can actually help to fight plaque and make your teeth more resistant to acid and sugars. That resistance helps prevent gum disease and cavities.
So what’s a person to do to avoid stained teeth and still receive the benefits of drinking tea? Drink lighter teas–such as white and green teas, and more mature teas– such as oolongs which have lower levels of tannins. Adding milk to your tea can also prevent the tannins from staining your teeth as can rinsing out your mouth after drinking tea.
Can Tea Help Me Lose Weight?
A little bit? Tea has been shown to positively affect gut health. Gut health is important for weight loss. Hydration is also important for weight loss. Those that regularly drink tea tend to be well hydrated.
As with all things, there is no one cure-all action associated with weight loss. Drinking a bunch of tea to lose weight just won’t work. Instead look at tea consumption as one piece of the puzzle for weight loss.
Is Tea Good for My Heart Health?
Yes! Study after study has shown tea can positively impact your heat health. Tea is full of heart healthy compounds that can prevent inflammation. Short term studies suggest tea consumption is good for your blood vessels. A recent longer, more comprehensive study showed that drinking tea at least once a day prevents the lowering of HDL (good cholesterol) that often accompanies aging.
Studies have also shown that simply sitting down with a cup of tea for as little as five minutes a day and slowly enjoying it can lower blood pressure.
Will Tea Cure Cancer?
Maybe? There are numerous studies which show that tea may have a possible impact on liver, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. See the careful wording in the sentence before this one? “Tea may have a possible impact” on certain cancers. Other studies show that tea may help prevent tumors and free-radical cells. Again, let’s break that down–”tea may help prevent” cancer. Though many studies have been done on this subject, none have conclusively shown the connection of tea as a cure to cancer.
As with any other health condition, please don’t abandon the scientific medical field to self treat yourself for cancer or any other medical condition!
In conclusion, tea can be part of a healthy lifestyle! But no, it is not a cure-all! So why drink tea? If it’s not a cure-all?
We find that taking just a few minutes each day to unwind and relax with a cup of exceptional tea is the perfect way to turn our attention away from everyday stresses. It’s an opportunity to not only taste our cup of tea, but also slow down for a few moments and check in with how we’re feeling.
After a few minutes of slowing down with a cup of tea, we think you’ll notice your everyday stressors become a bit more manageable!
Can Tea Cure Cancer? And other health questions about tea
Note
Sources We Found Helpful in Understanding the Health Benefits of Tea
- Penn Medicine
- American Heart Association
- National Cancer Institute
- Health Line