BY ASHLEY CURRIE
As winter begins to show its cold, dark face many people start to search for some way to warm up and stay alert. It seems grabbing a cup of tea may have more benefits than just the steamy warmth.
According to theteaspot.com, tea leaves, which are used to create tea, contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which are all helpful to the human body.
Different varieties of tea contain different antioxidants in different quantities. According to wondersoftea.com, white tea contains the most antioxidants, green tea comes in second and jasmine tea places third. The classic black tea ranks fourth on the list which also lists sugary iced teas at the very bottom.
Canadianliving.com says the antioxidants and vitamins in tea have many health benefits. The vitamin H found in some teas can help strengthen your immune system, and vitamin D, which can also be found in tea, helps to build strong bones.
One kind of antioxidant, called catechins, can be found primarily in green tea, but is also found in low doses in black teas as well. These antioxidants help reduce body fat by hindering the body’s ability to break down fats, and activating enzymes that help the body metabolize stored fats.
Rebecca Cutler, 23, of Waterloo, is a fan of tea. “You’re supposed to drink so much water in a day, but as long as you don’t add anything to your tea, it counts as your water intake so I drink it all the time,” she said.
Drinking tea without anything added is probably the best option. According to one German study, adding milk to black teas may actually weaken the health benefits they provide. This happens because the proteins in the milk stop the catechins from doing their job correctly.
Amanda Vander Griendt, 18, a concessions employee at the Sleeman Centre, an arena in Guelph, says tea is a huge seller.
“It’s cold in the arena, and we have six different tea options. Lots of people choose tea to stay warm. The events we have here are usually in the evening and most people want to avoid drinking coffee at night, so they choose a decaf tea instead.”
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