16 Tea types and benefits

Tea is an aromatic beverage and a healthy drink. It is a very popular drink in India. Tea has caffeine content which stimulates humans. It is beneficial for health. We mostly consume tea in hot form. You usually drink tea in that way. We drink ice tea as cold form of tea. Since tea can be served hot and cold, it is a tasty beverage. Drinking tea every day is good for you. There are various types of tea and each one has benefits. Let us look at the different types of tea and their health benefits one by one.

1. Barley Tea

Barley tea is popular in the eastern world. It is a staple drink in Japan, China and Korea. Making this tea involves toasting barley and boiling it for nearly twenty minutes. Traditionally people consume it cold with ice. Barley tea is popular as a summer drink. Its flavour is slightly bitter, smoky and nutty. This is not a true tea because it involves grain infusion with roasted barley.

2. Black Tea

Black tea is from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It is a true tea. This is a popular drink in Ireland and Great Britain. People of Britain drink black tea everyday. It has slightly bitter and astringent taste. That’s why many people drink it with a small amount of milk. The production process of black tea is lengthy. The leaves of black tea dry in the sun and are then left to oxidize. This tea reduces blood pressure, lowers type 2 diabetes risk and improves cholesterol profile.

3. Chaga Tea

Chaga tea is from mushroom. It originates in the Siberian region. Chaga mushroom is present in Asia, northern and eastern Europe. Preparing this tea involves boiling a piece of the dried mushroom. Chaga tea is a daily drink in Siberia. It contains bioactive compounds and has longevity benefits. The extract of this tea has anti-tumour properties.

4. Chai Tea

Chai tea consists of black tea, steamed milk, some Indian herbs and spices. Mostly the spices added are ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. The flavour of this tea can vary according to the spices used. Chai tea is generally creamy, bit spicy and feels warm while drinking it. It is healthy if sugar is added in controlled amount. The high polyphenol content of the spices gives health benefits. It is Indian tea.

Also Read Celebration of events during lockdown

5.Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is from the edible flowers of the matricaria chamomilla plant. This tea is popular as a good bedtime beverage. It helps to relax our body. The taste of this tea is mildly bitter with a floral, light and slightly sweet taste. Chamomile tea acts as a relaxant and treats anxiety. It helps people in overcoming problems with sleep quality. This tea is light and easy to drink.

6. Chrysanthemum Tea

Chrysanthemum tea is from the flower Chrysanthemum. This flowering plant originates in East Asia and is mainly present in China. Chrysanthemum flower varies in colour but it is edible. This tea has a floral aroma along with a slightly sweet and light flavour. Chrysanthemum tea has anti-inflammatory properties. It tastes pleasant and is enjoyable to drink.

7. Dandelion Tea

Dandelion tea is from dandelions. They grow in many places. Dandelions are edible and the tea is popular. This tea is mild and very light. It has a slight floral taste. The production process of dandelion tea involves roasting the dandelion’s roots. This tea is a substitute of coffee. Dandelion tea has digestive benefits.

Also Read Lemon – The beneficial citrus fruit

8. Essiac Tea

Essiac tea is a traditional drink of a North American tribe. The taste of this tea is slightly bitter and grassy. It helps in treating cancer. Essiac tea has DNA-protective and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains polyphenol.

9. Green Tea

Green tea has become popular due to its health benefits. It is a true tea. This tea originated in China. People in the eastern part of the world, especially Japan consume it more. Within green tea, there are some varieties. The popular ones are genmaicha, matcha and sencha. Green tea is very healthy. Consuming green tea regularly can reduce blood pressure, cancer risk, insulin resistance and increase glycaemic control. This tea gets its beneficial properties from catechin content which is a type of polyphenol.

10. Hibiscus Tea

Hibiscus tea is from the dried petals of Hibiscus flower. It is dark blood-red in colour. This tea has a flowery smell and a tart flavour. Its sour taste is due to the presence of acids in hibiscus. The acids are tartaric, malic, citric and ascorbic acids. Hibiscus tea has 24% acidic composition. It is effective in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This tea has nutritional properties also. It is rich in Vitamin C and many anthocyanin polyphenols.

Also Read Top Indian desserts and sweets to tickle your taste buds

11. Matcha Tea

Matcha tea is a premium Japanese tea. It is made from only the finest shade-grown tea leaves. Those leaves are picked and carefully ground into fine powder. Japanese people drink Matcha tea in its pure state. Its taste is strong, grassy and bitter. Rest of the world drink Matcha tea in a different form. They mix it with sugar and steamed milk for making green tea latte. The pure form of Matcha tea has health benefits.

12. Moringa Tea

Moringa tea is from the plant Moringa. This plant is found in the Himalayas region of India. In Moringa plant, the flowers, leaves, seeds and root are edible. Usually Moringa tea is prepared from the leaves. The taste of this tea is grassy, light and quite mild. This tea is a good source of some essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B and C. It has many health benefits. Moringa tea is used as a therapeutic treatment for controlling blood-glucose and hyperlipidaemia.

Also Read What the entire rage about Dalgona coffee is about

13. Nettle Tea

Nettle tea is also known as stinging nettle tea. It is made from the dried leaves of nettle plant. The taste of this tea is grassy, light, earthy, mild and refreshing. Nettle leaves have some health benefits. They are full of phenolic compounds which are anti-inflammatory.

14. Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a true tea which is made from the leaves of Camellia Sinensis plant. It is a partially oxidized tea. This tea may taste like black tea or green tea depending on the degree of leaf oxidization. Oolong tea is beneficial for health. It consists of a range of polyphenols. Oolong tea has the best features of black and green teas. It can improve cholesterol profile and lower blood glucose levels.

15. Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is made from the dried leaves of the peppermint plant. It is a refreshing, bold and very minty tea. This tea has a strong smell and flavour. Peppermint tea is an effective digestive aid. It relieves stomach discomfort and upsets.

16. Puerh Tea

Puerh tea is a true tea that is a fermented drink. It contains a lot of live bacteria. The processing of the tea leaves allows microbial fermentation. Due to the production process, tea continues ageing in spite of drying the tea leaves. Puerh tea is a Chinese drink. It generally tastes bitter than standard tea though it becomes mild over time. This tea is made from black or green tea leaves. Puerh tea is beneficial for health.