Black tea – Not just a hot beverage but a healthy one too

Black tea is a hot drink which not very often had by the people in India because of their love for  “masala chai”. Masala chai is a staple beverage for Indians, who often wake up and sleep to a cup of steaming hot masala chai. But is having masala chai multiple times a day good for your health? To explain this, it is important to first write down the ingredients of the Indian masala chai: Sugar, good amounts of milk, water, tea leaves, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and holy basil leaves. However, people who have diabetes or are lactose intolerant are advised not to have a masala chai due to its consequential health issues. An alternative for masala chai can be black tea which consists of those same tea leaves but without the milk, spices and sugar.

Black tea is a popular hot drink consumed widely across the world. It is known for its many health benefits such as improving digestion, reducing stress and preventing diabetes.

More often than never, black tea makes it to the list of weight loss tips or is the answer to the question – how to lose weight? Most people are unaware of the benefits of drinking black tea for weight loss.

Some of the black tea benefits are:

1. Improves cardiovascular health: Flavonoids are a type of anti-oxidant contained in black tea that can prevent several cardiovascular problems like arterial blockages, strokes, etc. In other words, black tea can prevent the formation of blood clots and keep the heart healthy and in some capacity prevent a person from having any form of heart attack. Also, black tea consists of polyphenols that help in maintaining the proper functions of the heart muscles.
2. The gut connection: Black tea with the help of a specific mechanism through the gut microbiome also contributes to good health and weight loss. Some scientists believe that believe that black tea is more effective than green tea, however, both the teas aid the weight loss process.
3. It helps to improve oral health: We all know that often our mouth becomes dry and gives birth to a lot of bad bacteria. However, black tea contains tannins which act as an antibiotic and eliminates the spread of bad bacteria in the mouth. This improves oral hygiene and strengthens the teeth.
4. Effect of black tea on weight loss: Black tea contains stimulants that help in boosting metabolism that results in a “fat burning” action. However, tea alone cannot help in weight loss but can act as a strong ally which one can integrate into their daily diet. In this way, black tea can help for weight loss.
5. It strengthens the bones: Osteoporosis is a disease that is caused by the degeneration of bone tissue and deterioration of bone mass. Black tea has more phytochemical compounds which it produces during its manufacturing process, that helps in strengthening the bones and increase their mass.
6. Low-calorie beverage: Black tea as a beverage has an almost negligible amount of calories, fat, and cholesterol as compared to other teas that consist of sugar, honey, and milk. Hence, it is advisable to have black tea if one is planning to lose weight. Hence, black tea is included in the list of beverages that help in weight loss.
7. It eliminates free radicals: Free radicals are unstable molecules of oxygen that circulate freely in our bodies. These molecules remain with other types of molecules and form a chemical composition. These free radicals when move freely can cause serious problems by attaching themselves to our cells. Arthritis, cancer, and asthma are some of the diseases that one can catch through these free radicals.However, black tea contains a lot of antioxidants which can reduce the risk of these diseases.

Scientists are still discovering some more health benefits of black tea, however, it is also important to remember that black tea if consumed in excess, can lead to an upset stomach and maybe even cause nausea and vomiting.