Millions of people around the world start their day with a cup of tea. It’s refreshing, delicious and provides that helpful boost of caffeine needed to get moving in the morning. Arguably, tea’s greatest benefit isn’t in the taste or the energy it provides, but rather the health benefits associated with it.

Numerous studies and clinical research have shown that drinking tea offers a wide range of advantages to keep the human body in good shape. It lowers the risk of having a stroke or heart attack, improves exercise performance, aides in weight loss, strengthens bones, and the list goes on from there.

Perhaps the most important benefit of tea is the antioxidants it provides. It’s important to understand what these are, how they work and what kinds of tea are recommended if one of
your primary goals is to detox through vitamin intake and live an active, healthy lifestyle.

What are Antioxidants?

Cell damage occurs in the human body due to a variety of factors. Pressures including stress, unhealthy environmental situations and inflammation can cause the body to create unstable organisms called free radicals, and these have a negative effect on cell and body functions. That can lead to heart disease, arthritis, cancer, emphysema, and respiratory illnesses, among others.

Introducing antioxidants into one’s diet helps to counter the damage those free radicals can do by neutralizing them. In some cases, they will delay cell damage, and in other cases they can prevent it from happening entirely. Results differ from person to person, but studies have largely shown that while the body produces some antioxidants on its own, an intake of more with the help of natural or man-made dietary supplements is beneficial to overall health.

Where Do Antioxidants Come From?

A number of external sources – many of which may already be a part of your regular diet – introduce antioxidants into your body. Before diving into the kinds of tea that can keep your immune system operating at peak levels (spoiler alert: there are a lot of options), it’s good to know what foods contain them.

One helpful hint is to go for the foods that stand out at the grocery store. If a bright, vibrant color catches your eye in the produce section, chances are it’s rich with high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, or lycopene. This includes most fruits and vegetables. Oranges, berries, carrots, tomatoes, leafy greens – these are all excellent sources of antioxidants. Other options include sunflower and vegetable oils, seeds, nuts, eggs, cheese, rice, and corn.

There’s more to the equation than just consuming these foods, however. Preparation is also important. Some foods rich in antioxidants such as peas, zucchini and cauliflower actually lose their antioxidant activity during the cooking process. Tomatoes, on the other hand, are easier for the body to take health benefits from when they’re treated with heat. This is why it’s important to eat a healthy mixture of both cooked and raw foods.

If you’re a health fanatic, you may notice that these foods also fit into the alkaline diet, which some holistic nutritionists say can balance out your body pH. This can help to reduce the risk of various forms of cancer and other diseases, and it’s no secret that these foods are all healthy options for other reasons. What you won’t find on this list is processed foods or snacks that are overly salty, fatty or that contain large amounts of sugar. Stick to the fresh produce, grains, and a bit of dairy to keep yourself healthy and in shape.

While antioxidants can also be found in dietary supplements, research has shown that foods and beverages are a better source, and in some cases, supplements were actually detrimental rather than improving health.

Now you know what foods to eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but let’s take a look at the beverage component. Since we’re here to talk tea, these are just a few of the various teas that are recommended to start your day off on the right foot.

Black Tea

It’s one of the most popular teas on the market for a reason. Black tea contains caffeine, making it an effective and healthy way to jump start your day in the morning. While the effects of too much caffeine have been shown to have negative results, a daily routine that includes a moderate serving of black tea can do very good things for your overall health.

The antioxidants found in black tea are called polyphenols, a group that includes thearubigins, catechins and theaflavins. These help to decrease the risk of chronic illnesses. One study showed that they also lowered the risk of diabetes, reduced cholesterol and kept blood sugar levels lower, meaning participants were less likely to contract diabetes.

Green Tea

Over the last several years, green tea has seen an impressive rise in popularity. Its health benefits are varied and are especially good for those looking to avoid the aging process – both physically and mentally, as well as disease prevention.

Green tea contains catechins, which researchers found to be beneficial in the reduction of some types of cancer. The antioxidants in green tea have been shown to lower the risk of breast cancer by 20% to 30%, while a combination of the results from 29 different studies showed that it lowered the risk of colorectal cancer by 42%. Men who drink green tea are also found to be at lowered risk for prostate cancer.

In regard to the effects of aging, green tea has bioactive compounds that improve brain function in the short term, as well as lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Catechin has been proven to protect neurons, a process that combats the onset of dementia.

Studies also showed that those who drank at least five cups of green tea a day had a longer life expectancy over the course of 11 years’ worth of research, with women 23% less likely to die during that time period, while 12% of men were also shown to live longer. Other studies showed impressive results as well, with one indicating that 76% of participants lived longer when they drank more green tea.

While some teas offer the same health benefits regardless of the quality, higher end brands – which are still quite affordable – are recommended as they contain less fluoride. While a certain amount can be good to help tooth enamel, excessive amounts are not advised.

White Tea

While green tea has been shown to be one of the healthiest beverages there is, white tea isn’t far behind, and it offers similar health benefits when it comes to antioxidants. A cup in the morning can help to lower the effects of inflammation from free radicals. It can also protect cells against damage from hydrogen peroxide free radicals.

When it comes to weight loss, white tea powder can boost metabolism by 4% to 5%, which is like burning up to 100 calories a day, all from the comfort of your kitchen table. Preparation is a breeze – simply pouring hot water (though not boiling, so as not to spoil the delicate flavor) over leaves and letting them steep for several minutes is all it takes.

White tea isn’t as popular as its black and green counterparts, but its benefits shouldn’t be overlooked.

Earl Grey Tea

If you’re looking for a healthy boost of energy in the morning that won’t give you the jitters that coffee can produce, Earl Grey is a solid option. It contains less caffeine than coffee, but it still does the job.

Earl Grey is actually an offshoot of black or green tea – it contains one of the two as its base, with the inclusion of the floral notes offered by bergamot oranges and a citrus fruit twist.

Because its foundation is black or green tea, Earl Grey has digestive enzymes which help the body to break down fats, carbs, and proteins in food. This allows the nutrients to more easily be
absorbed into the system and reduces digestive issues.

Matcha

If you’re looking for a substantial boost of antioxidants, look no further than a cup of matcha. While it’s made from green tea leaves, this finely ground powder functions differently in that you’re ingesting 100% of the leaf, rather than just the water it was seeped in. That means it rules the antioxidant game – one cup of matcha contains as many antioxidants as ten cups of green tea.

Matcha is highly beneficial for weight loss; the body typically burns calories at a daily rate of 8% to 10%, whereas matcha can increase that to anywhere from 35% to 43%. It’s a substantial difference.

The natural properties it contains serve to give the drinker a healthy amount of caffeine without the effects that coffee has. Studies have also shown that it can increase physical endurance by as much as 24%, so if you like to start your day with a workout, matcha could be your best friend at the gym.

How Does All of This Help Me to Detox?

The benefit of antioxidants is that your intake of vitamins they contain is crucial in flushing out your system. Tea is especially helpful, whether it’s made with hot or cold water, as it’s hydrating your body while simultaneously introducing vitamins that keep you healthy and feeling energized. The addition of fresh lemons in hot tea is an additional bonus, as the health benefits of lemons are bolstered by the amount of vitamin C they contain.

If you’re not already on this track, small changes to your daily routine like adding a cup of detox tea first thing in the morning can balance out your pH level, keep you wide-eyed and focused, and make for a delicious, refreshing, healthy start to the day.