Black tea is a special choice for those looking for alternatives to coffee or energy drinks. Black tea is not only a drink that contains little calories if not sweetened but also provides many health benefits because it contains powerful combinations of active substances such as polyphenols, theanine, Catechins or other flavonoids that protect against the emergence of many chronic disorders and diseases.
Tea is one of our most consumed drinks besides water, the source of tea leaves is Camellia sinensis, which is exposed to oxidation processes to get black color for tea leaves and red color after adding it to hot water.
In the past two decades, much molecular research has been carried out on black tea and its health benefits are now universally accepted.
Benefits of black tea
Drinking black tea has a range of health benefits, as it contains a lot of powerful antioxidants and other compounds that have the ability to reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
A recent study on the molecular components of black tea leaves and their clinical applications. I noticed that black tea leaves contain a range of biologically active ingredients including polyphenols, amino acids, volatile compounds and alkaloids that show many promising anti-disease activities at different points.
Discussing the results of some studies, the researchers suggested that drinking three cups a day may significantly improve the state of antioxidants in the body, and more importantly, no reliable evidence of damage has been found if taken moderately.
1. Drinking black tea improves heart health
High cholesterol, high triglycerides and obesity are directly linked to a number of cardiovascular disorders including heart attacks, which are now the leading cause of death worldwide.
Studies have shown that drinking black tea on a regular basis helps reduce the chances of developing cardiovascular disorders. Its inclusion in the diet reduced low-density cholesterol in people with hypercholesterolemia.
Another study also showed that drinking black tea improves cholesterol levels not only in adults with a risk of heart disorders, but also in obese people.
2. Fights Obesity
In addition to the benefits we have mentioned, drinking black tea also plays a key role in reducing body weight. Polyphenols found in black tea are useful in preventing obesity by suppressing digestion, fat absorption and complex sugar. They also noted that its polyphenols increase fat decomposition and reduce fat accumulation by reducing the spread of fat cells.
Interestingly, some studies have also reported that black tea polyphenols are more effective than polyphenols found in green tea.
3. Improves blood pressure
High blood pressure or high blood pressure are very common and are either directly or indirectly associated with many fatal complications such as heart failure, heart attack, stroke, kidney damage and the risk of atherosclerosis.
Studies indicate that long-term drinking black tea improves blood pressure, both with low and high blood pressure, as well as in ordinary people. In light of these findings, it is suggested that drinking black tea reduces the risk of fatal complications associated with high blood pressure.
4. Black tea protects against strokes
Regular drinking of black tea also reduces the risk of stroke. An extensive study of about 75,000 stroke patients was conducted over 10 years and concluded that drinking four or more cups on a daily basis reduces the risk associated with stroke.
Not only that. When scientists conducted a survey on black tea and the risk of stroke. By compiling data from nine studies conducted on 194,965 adults, including 4,378 stroke patients, it concluded that drinking three cups on a daily basis reduced the risk of stroke.
5. Protects and contributes to cancer treatment
Interestingly, drinking black tea also prevents the risk of cancer. Polyphenol Thioflavin found in tea contributes to chemotherapy against hormone-based breast tumors, according to a study. In addition, another study showed that Thioflavin showed anti-cancer activity.
In another study that reviewed the work of black tea polyphenol against the onset of cancer, it was noted that it prevents the survival of cancer cells by preventing the regulation of their growth and metastasis at the level of both DNA and protein. Additionally, it significantly reduced the spread of cancer cells and increased the death of tumor cells programmed in a dose-based manner in trials.
It is also important to note that while laboratory and preclinical studies have fully supported the role of black tea against cancer development, its role at the clinical studies level still needs to be fully investigated.
6. Black tea is useful for diabetics
Besides the anti-cancer feature, consuming black tea without sugar is also beneficial for diabetics, because it is not only an unsweetened drink that reduces blood glucose, but also is said to improve insulin. The researchers found that black tea extract reduced the level of glucose in the blood and improved the body’s ability to metabolize sugar.
In another study, researchers reported that the substance Catechins in tea has improved the condition of insulin hormone. Other research has also found that eating it improves blood sugar levels after eating in ordinary adults and pre-diabetes.
7. Antimicrobial effect
Black tea has antimicrobial activity, as polyphenols found in black tea are reported to kill the growth of harmful bacteria. Another study also demonstrated the antimicrobial potential of tea ingredients and showed a significant decrease in the growth of a group of harmful bacteria.
8. Anti-cell damage and aging effect
Free radicals or free crackers are residues in the form of active molecules that have the potential either directly or indirectly to destroy our vital molecules, including the destruction of cell nucleic acids or proteins, and are now one of the main sources responsible for inciting a number of chronic disorders.
It is now well documented that polyphenol tea has the ability to perform an antioxidant function to neutralize the harmful effects of high levels of free radicals, so drinking black tea reduces the chances of many chronic disorders.
Drinking black tea 1-6 times a day significantly increases the potential of antioxidants in plasma in humans and reduces oxidized biomolecular damage, including damage to nucleic acids and fats.
Another mechanism has been reported that black tea polyphenol inhibits the activity of pro-oxidant enzymes.
Summary:
In short, it is now well established that drinking black tea on a regular basis improves the potential of antioxidants in the body, helping us reduce the risk of chronic disorders and improve overall health.
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