English Black Tea Benefits: What a Cup of Tea is Doing for Your Health

Aside from being delicious, there are plenty of scientifically backed health benefits to enjoying a good cup of English black tea. What are these black tea benefits? From gut health to heart health to cholesterol benefits, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a reason not to enjoy a good brew first thing in the morning! 

 

Better Heart Health 

Black tea contains a specific group of antioxidants called flavonoids, which benefit heart health. One meta-analysis about the effects of drinking black tea concluded, “Daily tea intake as part of a healthy habitual dietary pattern may be associated with lower risks of CVD and all-cause mortality among adults.” In another large prospective study, daily tea consumption was associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. So, all in all, drinking black tea every day could be an excellent way to keep your heart healthy! 

 

Lower Cholesterol 

Too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the body can clog arteries and lead to problems like heart failure or stroke. But it could be that drinking black tea helps reduce this “bad” cholesterol in the body. A meta-analysis found that drinking black tea significantly reduced LDL cholesterol. 

 

Better Gut Health

Some scientists think the polyphenols found in some foods, including black tea, may help promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut while inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria. It could even play a role in repairing the lining of your digestive tract. Nonetheless, these claims need further study and evaluation before becoming incontrovertible facts. 

 

Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can increase your risk for many life-threatening diseases and health complications. Several studies have examined the effects of drinking tea on blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. A meta-analysis of several of these studies found that drinking black tea significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to the control group. It suggested that consistently drinking tea promotes cardiovascular health.

 

Better Concentration

Black tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine. Due to the way it stimulates the brain, this amino acid can help improve focus and alertness. One study found that “L-theanine has the potential to promote mental health in the general population with stress-related ailments and cognitive impairments.” The authors of another study concluded that even small amounts of black tea could improve focus and mental processing over simply consuming water. 

 

Reduced Inflammation

Black tea has antioxidants called polyphenols. Polyphenols protect the body against “oxidative stress,” and lowering that stress can consequently reduce the risk of chronic diseases, inflammation, heart disease, and cancer. 

 

UV Ray Protection

There’s even research about how drinking tea can prevent UV damage from sun exposure, but that doesn’t mean you can forego slathering on sunscreen before heading outdoors. 

 

Balanced Blood Sugar

Tea can help hydrate the body and stabilize blood sugar without adding actual sugar to the system.  This can be a good thing for those with prediabetes or diabetes.

 

Key Takeaways

Overall, there’s no reason not to drink even a tiny amount of black tea daily or create your own special blend, whether it’s morning, afternoon or both. These scientific studies suggest that there are many black tea benefits, from improved cholesterol to blood pressure to cardiovascular health. Nothing is written in stone, and other scientific knowledge about black tea may come to light. Still, for now, there is decent evidence that when consumed in moderation, there are many black tea benefits as long as you don’t have caffeine sensitivity or other health condition that requires you to abstain from caffeine. So check with your doctor before making any decisions.

Looking for more information related to overall health and daily diet? Go to our Health Lifestyles section and get inspired on easy ways to improve your meals and stay active.

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Healthy Lifestyles Managing Illness Women's Health
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