After a long and tiring day, all you wish for is a cup of tea and a lapse of relaxation. Whether it is your regular tea or green tea, the simple beverage uplifts your mood drastically, isn’ it? But did you know, there is a whole different tea from all the rest which has a long list of goods and benefits?
You guessed it right! It’s a white tea. The health benefits of white tea go a long way. It is not just a beverage but a wholesome of goodness. Before plugging into its profits, get to know what white tea is.
What is white tea?
White tea extract comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Before its buds and leaves open up completely, white tea gets picked out covered in white hair, and that’s the reason behind its name.
White tea is processed the least out of all the other varieties. Thus, it retains in itself a high amount of antioxidants. It is one the many reasons linked with the health benefits of white tea. Until lately, Asia was the only place where white tea got popularized. However, now the West has engaged in the incredible array of white tea health benefits.
Nutrition Facts of White Tea
For a Serving Size of 1 cup (100 g)
- Calories from Fat 0(%)
- Total Fat 0grams
- Caffeine: 15- 20 milligrams
Read on further to discover more health benefits of white tea.
List of Health Benefits of White Tea
1. White tea enhances immunity
White tea has lots of antioxidants and polyphenols which protects the cells in the body from damage. It improves the proximity of the immune system to fatal diseases. It also provides relief to chronic inflammation.
2. Benefits of white tea reduce risks to heart
The polyphenols in the organic white tea help to relax the blood vessels in the body which reduce the risk of body encountering a heart disease or a heart stroke. A study shows that a person who consumes a minimum of 3 cups of white tea daily has a 21 % less chance of suffering from heart disease(1).
3. Benefits of white tea in weight loss
White tea is one of the best ways to lose weight. It is as effective in burning fat. White tea gas catechins and caffeine which have a synergistic effect. The white tea extract helps in breaking down the fat cells and stimulates the formation of new fat cells. It is also known to improve your metabolism by 5 %.
[ Read: 7 Potent Fat Burning Herbs for Weight Loss ]
4. White tea promotes dental health
Say hello to healthy mouth with white tea. It is an excellent source of tannins and fluoride and strengthens your teeth and gums by fighting bacteria and sugar. It prevents the formation of cavities and makes the surface of the teeth resistant to bacterial attacks.
[ Read: Get Rid of Tooth Infection without Antibiotics ]
5. White tea helps to fights cancer cells
In the United States, cancer is the second most common cause of death. Can you believe white tea has anti-cancer effects as well? White tea triggers cell death in numerous types of cancers(2). White tea suppresses the growth of cancer cells and reduces their spreading especially during lung cancer. It is worth noting that white tea protects the normal cells from getting damaged as well.
6. The use of white tea stimulates insulin
Insulin is a vital hormone for our body. But, due to several conditions in the body, a few people start to have a state of insulin resistance. Sadly, the situation is quite common and may lead to various chronic diseases including heart diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, etc. Interestingly some studies have found out that the polyphenols in white tea improve the condition of insulin resistance. White tea helps to reduce blood sugar levels in the body and stimulates the release of insulin as well.
7. White tea helps to strengthen bones
Around 40 million Americans above 50 years of age encounter the problem of Osteoporosis; the condition may lead to disabled structure and fractures. It may reduce their quality of life.
White tea contains free radicals which aid to bone strengthening and growth. It reduces chronic inflammation which may be one of the causes of accelerating of the condition. The compounds found in white tea suppress those cells which are responsible for the break down of bones.
[ Read: Natural remedies For Inflammation]
8. Regular use of white tea promotes healthy skin
Ladies sure have a deal to celebrate as white tea is an excellent remedy for the beautiful skin. It reduces skin aging. Due to environmental and aging factors, your skin may encounter various problems and condition. With age, the youthfulness and glow of the skin may reduce. But, with white tea, you can restore the long-lost aura of your beautiful face.
Applying white tea on your face and consuming it on a daily basis can help protect your skin from harmful UV rays and work on keeping it firm and tight by working on the fiber network of the surface of the skin.
9. White tea improves brain function
White tea has delightful benefits for people who have Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. With compounds of EGCG in white tea, the risk of encountering from these diseases gets lowered to a great extent. Clumping and misfolding of protein in the body is the leading cause of Alzheimers and Parkinson’s. White tea has compounds of polyphenols and EGCG which prevents the inappropriate clumping and folding of the protein.
How to make white tea?
White tea is easy to prepare. To acknowledge the health benefits of white tea, all you need is
Ingredients
- White tea leaves
- Pot of hot water
Procedure
- Put white tea leaves in a pot of boiling water
- Let it stay for about 8 to 10 minutes
- Strain out the tea and enjoy while you relax
White Tea v/s Green Tea
Although both of them have the same origin, white tea is a better source of antioxidants as it gets processed the least. Green tea also has antioxidants, but white tea has them in greater quantity(3).
[ Read: Unbelievable Side Effects of Green Tea ]
White Tea v/s Black Tea
White tea and black tea have the same origin. Other than white tea having high antioxidant content, the difference in white tea is the level of caffeine. White tea caffeine content is less than that of black tea. The leaves of black tea have a higher caffeine content along with strong aromatic flavors.
Precautions to take note
Other than the great health benefits of white tea, there are a few precautions one must consider while consuming white tea.
- Some people may be allergic to the aroma or taste of white tea
- White tea has caffeine and over-consumption of white tea may cause dizziness and insomnia
- It is recommendable that one must not drink white tea just before going to be and the caffeine content in white activates the brain, and you may not be able to sleep after that
- Taking white tea on an empty stomach may sometimes cause gastric issues and gastrointestinal discomfort
Origin of White Tea
Are you curious about the history of white tea? Well, white tea was discovered in China accidentally. While traveling, Shen Nung, the emperor of China felt thirst and asked for water. His companions gave him boiled water and accidentally a few buds of white tea flew in the water. The emperor on drinking the water liked the flavor which the tea brought, and thus, white tea came into limelight.
Other than a great white tea flavor, there are numerous nutritional facts associated with white tea. Have a look at the nutrition scale of white tea.
The bottom line is that white tea is an enclosure of incredible benefits for your body and health. Various studies and researches have emphasized immensely on the health benefits of white tea. From losing weight to fighting cancer, white tea is recommendable.
Along with a refreshing flavor, the taste and goodness in the store of white tea extract are impressive. A plus point of consuming white tea is that it is quite easy to prepare and can be added to your diet as well. You can drink it cold and hot both, so it is suitable for all the year round. With a right diet, right amount and regular consumption, white tea is an excellent start to a healthy lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is white tea sweet?
Yes, white tea has a distinct, pleasing aroma and sweet taste. Thus, you can avoid adding sugar to it.
2. What temperature should white tea be?
Ideally, the temperature of water to which you can add white tea should be 75 to 85 degrees Celcius. Over boiling the drink can make the flavor of the tea go away.
