Sitting near the top of the leader board when it comes to tea drinking, the ‘cuppa’ has a dear place in many of our hearts.

 

And sometimes it’s nice to change things up from the standard black tea.

 

But have you ever gone into the tea section in your supermarket and just felt a headache coming on at the sight of all these choices?

 

Well we’re going to break down a few of the best teas for your health so you will be looking like a pro on your next visit to the shops.

 

 

1. Black tea:

 

By far the most popular tea accounting for more than 75% of the global tea consumption but what exactly is the big deal.

 

Made from leaves which are rolled, fermented, dried and then crushed, black tea would fall under the bitter catergory.

 

And maybe the reason we can’t get enough of the stuff, it contains the most caffeine with about 40mg per cup.

 

To put that in perspective a cup of coffee can have anything from 50-100mg.

 

Black tea is high in certain antioxidants which have been linked to lowering cholesterol.

 

And research has also proven that three or more cups daily might cut the risk of stroke by 21%.

 

 

2. Green tea:

 

Probably the original ‘alternative’ tea, green tea has a more delicate flavour.

 

Again made with leaves which are dried and heat-treated.

 

Green tea contains 25mg of caffeine per cup.

 

Full of antioxidants which are said to reduce your risk of cancer or heart disease.

 

Research found that just one cup of green tea a day may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10%.

 

 

3. Flavoured tea:

 

We’re talking about the cinnamon, orange, berry, lavender and all the other flavoured teas out there.

 

Made with either black, green or white tea leaves, these teas have the same amount of antioxidants as their unflavoured equivalent.

 

But skip the pre-made ones in bottles as they tend to have a high sugar content.

 

Some flavoured tea drinks are also watered down so you’re just better off with the original stuff.

 

 

4. Herbal tea:

 

Not even technically a tea, herbal teas usually use a mix of dried fruits, flowers and herbs.

 

There is no caffeine in them or at least shouldn’t be.

 

Although it might sound great, try and steer clear of herbal weight-loss teas as they can sometimes contain dangerous laxatives.

 

Research has shown that drinking three cups of hibiscus tea a day could help lower blood pressure in those with hypertension.

 

 

5. Chamomile tea:

 

Chamomile tea has been said to help keep diabetes under control.

 

And has even been linked to women living a longer life.

 

It has been proven to help promote sleep so might be a good one to have just before bed.

 

 

6. Peppermint tea:

 

Said to help digestion and stress, peppermint tea has a very strong scent.

 

Research has shown this tea may calm the stomach which has been seen to be true on many occasions.

 

The menthol in the tea acts as a muscle relaxant which helps with stress and anxiety.

 

 

So stick the kettle on and enjoy some of these alternative choices.

 

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