Why You Should Drink Tea More Often: Five Health Benefits

Tea has been around for more than 4,000 years, originating first from China, where tea was used as a herbal cure to various ailments and as a favorite drink during social gatherings. Here are the top 5 benefits that you can get from drinking tea:

1. Drinking tea wards off cancer. Tea contains a large amount of antioxidants called polyphenols, flavonoids and cathechins, all of which have anti-cancer properties that fight off “free radicals”. Free radicals are taken in by the body from the environment on a daily basis. These are taken in various forms such as pollution, unhealthy food, stress. These free radicals may cause cancer, as they threaten to cause tissue damage, as well as aging. They are also the cause of a wide range of diseases. Antioxidants fight off these free radicals. So the more antioxidants you have in your body, the better.
2. Drinking tea reduces risk of heart disease. Tea is great at lowering cholesterol levels in your body. If you’re at an age when you’re more susceptible to heart disease and your cholesterol levels are bordering on unhealthy levels, then tea should definitely help you out in maintaining a healthy level of cholesterol. Tea can also be an ideal drink even for young people who aren’t susceptible to heart disease yet but are very well on their way, due to lack of activity/sports, fast-paced and high-stress lifestyles, unhealthy eating habits.
3. Drinking tea can also be a healthy way to lose weight. There are certain teas that are used as an aid for weight loss, for people whose weight are bordering on unhealthy. These teas contain metabolic stimulants, which means that it stimulates your system to digest fat faster. It’s also a great way to maintain one’s weight, if you’re conscious about adding any more to your body or if you’ve already achieved shedding off that unnecessary weight.
4. Drinking tea can be used as an aid for digestion. There are some teas such as Chamomile that can aid digestion because of their ability to treat gastrointestinal problems. This is an ideal kind of tea for those who find themselves having a larger portion of food than they should (because we can’t help it sometimes, food is one of life’s greatest pleasures!) So instead of having coffee right after a huge meal, choose instead to have tea and get rid of that guilty feeling of having eaten too much (also known as the feeling-like-your-shirt’s-about-to-burst -open).
5. Drinking tea is good for your teeth and gums. Amazingly, scientists have recently discovered that green tea has properties that fight bacteria inside your mouth, especially around the gum area. This kind of bacteria is responsible for the plaque that builds in your gums, which in turn cause cavities. As good oral health is also a key to good overall health, keeping your mouth clear of bacterias by drinking tea (combined with brushing your teeth after every meal, flossing and visiting your dentist regularly, of course) would naturally result in a healthier and rejuvenated you.

Aside from these top 5 health benefits that tea offers, tea is also a popular aid for relaxation. It is a healthy alternative to coffee, and there’s different flavors too!