Chinese legend has it that tea was discovered quite by accident one afternoon in 2737 BC. Emperor Shen Nung lounged beneath a Camellia Sinensis tree while his servant boiled a pot of water, which the emperor had a habit of drinking for its health properties. As the pot was boiling, a few leaves from the tree fell down into the water unbeknownst to the resting monarch. When it was done, he took a sip, was astounded by its refreshing and calming effect, and tea began to be enjoyed throughout the land.
Sounds like a fairy tale doesn’t it?
Tea has a long history throughout the world. For many in Great Britain, India, China, and Japan, tea is a cultural staple, something without which they would not be who they are. And while our culture is much more coffee-centric (ah, that scalding, sour taste of freedom!) tea still has its fanatics (of which I am one, obviously) who swear by the restorative properties of the beverage. It’s an addiction, like any other I suppose… but as far as I’m concerned, it is way better than coffee.
As famous Russian author, Fyodor Dostoyevsky once wrote, “I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea.”
1. It fights diseases
Tea is just full of antioxidants, chemicals found in plant foods. When consumed, they protect our tissues from free radicals, which cause diseases over time. Subsequently, many teas have been linked to prevention of diseases. Green tea may lower risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer. It has also been linked to the prevention of Alzheimer’s, due to the polyphenols in green tea that have been shown to help maintain the parts of the brain that deal with learning and memory.
2. It’s more energizing than coffee, can improve physical performance and can even help you lose weight!
Tea does have the same amount of caffeine as coffee, it’s true, but while both are stimulants, the energizing effect of tea lasts much longer. Coffee gives you the rush of caffeine, but much like the energy you get from a sugar rush, it is short lived. Tea, on the other hand, will keep you relatively energized throughout the day.
Tea can also boost endurance during exercise and can even help you lose weight, as the (you guessed it) antioxidants found in green tea increase fat burning and have been shown in studies to boost the metabolic rate.
3. It makes you smarter
Caffeine along with another property found in tea, an amino acid called L-theanine (not found in coffee), have synergistic effects. The combination of the two has been shown to improve brain function, leading to improvements in mood, reaction time, and vigilance.
4. It’s good for your teeth
At least, in comparison with coffee. Coffee stains your teeth, but tea prevents gum disease… the trade off seems pretty clear here.
And last but not least…
5. Tea helps reduce stress
The amino acid, theanine, has been proven to increase the number of inhibitory neurotransmitters and modulate serotonin and dopamine, which in turn reduces anxiety and makes us calm and relaxed.
So, If you want keep calm (and pretend the mushroom clouds of cheeto dust and fake tanner aren’t fast approaching to destroy the world) and improve your health while you do it, (as an alternative to fleeing the country and/or planet (forgive me for the excessive use of parentheses)) I suggest drinking more tea!
