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Green Tea May Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Promote Heart Health So pour yourself a cup and read on to discover the eight best teas for your health. While drinking any tea likely comes with benefits, many teas have their own distinct health perks. RELATED: Why Are Healthy Eating Habits Important? What isn’t debatable is that drinking plain tea is heart- and weight loss-friendly because it doesn’t have sodium or calories, according to the Harvard T.H. Keep in mind, though, that not all studies look at tea in liquid form some research uses capsules or tablets, which may provide study participants with a more potent dose. Most people in the study drank the green variety, which the researchers linked to a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and dying of any cause. RELATED: 9 Scientific Benefits of Following a Plant-Based DietĪlso, a small study published in June 2019 in the journal Aging found that, compared with those who didn’t drink tea, older adults who regularly drank tea (like green, black, or oolong) had better organized brain regions, which is associated with healthier cognitive function.Īs if those perks didn’t offer enough incentive to sip, yet another study, published in January 2020 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found that drinking tea three times a week or more was associated with living a longer life, compared with not drinking tea. “As a soothing warm or cold beverage, tea contains plant compounds called polyphenols, which are antioxidants that give tea its medicinal benefits.”įor example, phytochemicals - the plant-based polyphenols in tea - may play a role in preventing or delaying cell damage and in protecting cells from cancer-causing substances, according to the Mayo Clinic. “Tea is a plant-based beverage that has been shown to have many nourishing properties,” says Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, the Chicago-based author of The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods. Do you love sipping an energizing cup of green tea when you rise or a calming cup of chamomile before bedtime? You’re in luck: Tea is not just a refreshing drink - it may offer a host of health benefits.
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