Boost your immune system naturally with the help of the perfect beverage for the winter season – tea! There is abundant research done on different types of tea that suggests many beneficial effects of tea on the body.
- Green tea, for example, stimulates your body’s natural immune response and protects your nerves (1, 2).
- Black tea is high in powerful antioxidants and anticarcinogenic compounds that fight away harmful substances. By sipping some black tea, you are actually reducing your risk of heart disease (3).
- White tea is equally amazing – not only is it delicious, but it is also rich in flavonoids and compounds that can inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells isolated in a laboratory study published in Food Chemistry journal (4).
- Those who enjoy herbal tea, great news! Chamomile tea can help control your blood sugar (5). Any new moms out there? Research suggests that one cup of chamomile tea can improve sleep quality in postpartum women (6)*.
Next time you brew yourself a cup of your favourite tea, take a moment to admire the benefits of this amazing drink!
In our donation-based yoga classes, we always offer you some tea to warm you up after! Tea is a great way to relax after the practice!
*Always consult your health practitioner before choosing a tea to drink if you are pregnant.
By: Vlada Klymenko
Edited by: Iris Lopez Ramirez
Final Edits by: Renée Chan, MS, MBA, RD, RDN, CDN
REFERENCES
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Huynh N. The Immunological Benefits of Green Tea (Camellia sinensis). International Journal of Biology. 2016;9:10.
- Paulo Andrade J, Assuncao M. Protective Effects of Chronic Green Tea Consumption on Age-related Neurodegeneration. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2012;18:4-14.
- Kumar D, Rizvi S. Health benefits of black tea. Progress in Health Sciences. 2014;4:135 – 143.
- Hajiaghaalipour F, Kanthimathi M, Sanusi J, Rajarajeswaran J. White tea (Camellia sinensis) inhibits proliferation of the colon cancer cell line, HT-29, activates caspases and protects DNA of normal cells against oxidative damage. Food Chemistry. 2015;169:401-410.
- Zemestani M, Rafraf M, Asghari-Jafarabadi M. Chamomile tea improves glycemic indices and antioxidants status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition. 2016;32:66-72.
About the author:
Vlada studies Food, Nutrition, and Health at UBC and experiment with raw vegan desserts. At my spare time, I feast on home-made apple chips sandwiches with our blueberry compote. It’s addictive. You’ve been warned!