Tea comes in hundreds of flavors and can be caffeine-free or include caffeine. Millions of people around the world drink tea rather than coffee or in addition to it. It has been proven that tea has health benefits, but some people find teas just a little bland and want more flavor. There are at least 10 things a person can add to their tea to give it a flavor boost.
The Benefits of Drinking Tea
Almost one half the United States population drinks at least one tea beverage every day. There are herbal teas, black teas, green teas, teas, and oolong which are the most popular options. Green, black, and oolong teas come from the same plants but are different because of how they are harvested and processed. Herbal teas are made from different plants using roots, flowers, and leaves of plants like peppermint and chamomile.
For those who want a little more flavor from their tea, adding flavored honey is a good solution. There are also other additives to add flavor to the tea. It is not necessary to add spoonfuls of sugar to every cup of tea. Whether a person adds flavorings or not, tea is believed to have numerous health benefits.
Black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and herbal teas contain natural substances with health benefits. Caffeinated, decaffeinated, and herbal teas contain polyphenols, which are antioxidants and reduce the chances of getting some chronic diseases. These polyphenols can be destroyed, in part, by processes such as making tea powders, decaffeinating, or making bottled tea drinks.
If a person wants the most polyphenols and health benefits, they should choose green teas, but all teas have benefits. If a person is looking for a nice caffeine jolt from tea, they should choose black tea for the most, then oolong tea, and finally green tea. If no caffeine is wanted, choose herbal teas or decaffeinated teas.
All teas include small amounts of nutrients such as phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, copper, sodium, zinc, and calcium. Some teas even contain fluoride. Herbal teas may contain additional nutrients depending on what plants they are made from. Keeping in mind that one cup of tea a day will have a small number of health benefits, here are some benefits believed to come from drinking tea.
· Managing weight is one benefit that everyone likes. How much is from the tea itself with its caffeine and polyphenols and how much is because of drinking low-calorie tea instead of high-calorie sweetened drinks is up for debate, but tea is definitely a healthy drink?
· Heart health is improved by drinking tea regularly.
· Diabetes is one disease that may possibly be affected by drinking tea. Green tea contains catechins that may help with limiting blood sugar.
· Herbal teas like chamomile and spearmint may also be helpful in fighting diabetes.
· Cancer is a disease that may also have reduced risks in tea drinkers, but the research is not conclusive.
· One of the top benefits of drinking tea instead of many other drinks is that it does not contain a lot of sugar or additives. Tea is a low-calorie drink that tastes good. Drinking tea is an important part of any healthy eating pattern when a person limits the sugar added.
Downsides of Drinking Tea
There really aren’t many downsides to drinking tea. But, If you drink too many cups of caffeinated tea, you can get an overload of caffeine, which could make it hard to sleep and make you feel nervous or jittery. The most caffeine a person should consume from all sources each day is 400 milligrams. Problems can be avoided by avid tea drinkers by choosing teas with less or no caffeine.
Loose tea, steeped properly, is better than using tea bags. But, tea bags are convenient for those on the run or in a hurry. Remember, the tea leaves used in tea bags are not the same quality as loose tea.
10 Additives to Add Flavor to Tea
There are at least 10 additives that will add flavor and other benefits to tea. Try them for a little tea-drinking variety.
1. Freshly grated ginger added to tea can help with stomach problems, improve circulation, and enhance food digestion.
2. Plain honey or flavored honey is another healthy additive for tea. Honey is thought to be healthier for sweetening tea than sugar.
3. Adding mint to tea makes it taste fresh and helps eliminate bad breath. It can also aid in digestion.
4. Citrus fruits like lemon or lime squeezed into tea are refreshing and help drinkers absorb the nutrients in tea. It also helps with weight loss.
5. Cinnamon adds flavor and sweetness to tea in a healthy way. It may also help lower cholesterol and boost your immune system.
6. Adding fruits to hot tea will draw out their flavor and make the tea taste more interesting. Fruit juices can also be added to tea for their flavor.
7. Lemon verbena, lemon basil, or lemon thyme will make the tea smell great and be more flavorful
8. Maple syrup is another additive that is good for green tea, vanilla tea, caramel-flavored tea, or cinnamon tea. It adds sweetness and a unique flavor.
9. Almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk will make the tea creamier and include fewer calories than regular milk. They also add their special flavors to the tea.
10. Some people even enjoy adding a little ice cream or fruit sorbet to their tea. This works better with some tea flavors than others so experiment. it is not the healthiest additive, but it tastes great.
Some people like drinking chai tea, which is tea with a collection of spices added. Chai can also have milk brewed in it for a rich, interesting taste. Chai tea is popular in India and other countries, and every place has its own special spice blend for its chai. In the United States, people can make their own special chai tea blends or purchase chai tea blends. Chai tea even comes in tea bags for those in a hurry.
The reason tea is so popular as a drink is that it is easy to prepare and healthy to drink. Tea can be served hot or cold, and it is refreshing in all its forms. Tea drinkers may have a whole collection of different tea blends and flavors so they never get bored with this healthy beverage.
