Green Tea vs. Black Tea
Tea is said to be
the most popular beverage in the world. It’s been consumed for thousands of
years by millions, perhaps billions, of people.
Tea has also been
shown to have many health benefits. And some of these benefits are thought to
be related to tea’s antioxidant properties. These properties are from its
flavonoids known as “catechins.” Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory and have a
range of health benefits that I talk about in this post.
Green tea vs.
black tea - What's the difference?
What do green and
black teas have in common?
First of all, they
both come from the Camellia sinensis
shrub that’s native to China and India. Green tea contains slightly more
health-promoting flavonoids than black tea. How is this?
The difference lies
in how they’re processed.
If the leaves are
steamed or heated, this keeps them green. The heat stops oxidation from turning
them black. Then they’re dried to preserve the colour and flavonoids which are
the antioxidants.
Hence you have
green tea.
If the leaves are
not heated, and are crushed and rolled, then they continue to oxidize until they’re
dry. This oxidation uses up some of the flavonoids’ antioxidant power, so black
teas have slightly less ability to combat free radicals than green tea does.
PRO TIP: Adding
milk to your tea reduces the antioxidant ability.
Both green and
black teas contain about half of the caffeine in coffee. That translates to
about 20-45 mg per 8 oz cup.
Green tea vs.
black tea - Health Benefits
Tea drinking, in
general, seems to be associated with good health.
Heart health - For one thing,
both green and black tea drinkers seem to have high levels of antioxidants in
their blood compared with non-tea drinkers. Green and black tea drinkers also
have lower risks of heart attacks and stroke. Drinking green tea, in
particular, is associated with reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, and
LDL oxidation, all of which are risk factors for heart conditions.
Overall, drinkers
of green and black tea seem to have a lower risk of heart problems. Green tea
has also been shown to reduce risk factors (i.e., blood lipid levels) a bit
more than black tea has.
Cancers - Antioxidants also
reduce the risk of many cancers. Studies show that both green and black teas
can reduce the risk of prostate cancer (the most common cancer in men). Also,
green tea drinkers have a lowered risk of breast and colorectal cancers. Black
tea is being researched for its potential to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
Overall,
antioxidant flavonoids in tea seem to help reduce the risk of some different
cancers. Green tea may have a slight edge over black tea, but both seem to be
associated with lower cancer risk.
Diabetes - Both green and black
teas can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They also reduce
diabetes risk factors, like elevated blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.
For example, some studies have shown that both green and black teas can help
reduce blood sugar levels. Other studies have shown that green tea can also
improve insulin sensitivity.
Once again, green
tea seems to have a slight edge over black tea, but both are blood sugar
friendly (just don't overdo the sweetener).
Conclusion
Both green and
black teas are from the same plant, but are processed differently. Green tea
retains more of the beneficial antioxidants than black tea does; but both are
associated with better health than non-tea drinkers.
Overall, both green
and black teas are healthy drinks, and tea drinkers, in general, seem to have
fewer health conditions than non-tea drinkers. Green tea seems to have a slight
edge over black tea when it comes to measurable risk factors of some common
diseases.
When you enjoy your
tea, try to minimize or even eliminate adding milk and/or sweeteners; these
reduce some of the health-promoting properties of tea.
I’d love to know:
Are you a tea drinker? Which tea is your favorite? How do you like to enjoy
it? Let me know in the comments below.
Recipe (Green
tea): Matcha Energy Bites
Serves 6 (makes
12-18 bites)
1 cup shredded
coconut, unsweetened
4 tbsp almond flour
1 tbsp matcha green tea
4 tbsp almond flour
1 tbsp matcha green tea
2 tbsp honey or
maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
Add all ingredients
into food processor and pulse until blended.
Shape into
1-1.5" balls.
Serve & enjoy!
Tip:
If you use sweetened coconut, then you can eliminate the honey/maple syrup.
References:
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