Tea Time! The Humble Cuppa And Its Health Benefits

Tea has been used as a health elixir for centuries, from calming and energising to soothing digestive problems and even aiding weight loss.

As Brits of course we love our tea, and many of us have branched out over the years - green, white, oolong - there's no stopping our habit. But do we really know what we're drinking? And is that cup we're supping before bed instead of a coffee actually keeping us up?

With teas increasingly touted as health-givers, we spoke to nutritional therapist and yoga teacher Charlotte Watts, author of The De-Stress Effect, to find out which to drink for our health complaints, to give us energy or help us sleep, and when to drink them.

What do we mean when we say tea?

For starters, is tea just any hot drink that isn't coffee? Well not exactly. Tea is any infused beverage. As 'opposed to brewed or ground' explains Charlotte.

And it's not just the rather misnamed 'builder's brew' that counts as a proper cuppa. You can have tumeric tea, ginger tea, liquorice tea - it doesn't have to come from the traditional tea plant.

"Teas have different properties because the water you drink takes on the properties of any leaves and spices that you infused them with," she says.

"It can be an easy way to get the good properties of these ingredients without having to chew on them or find a way of cooking them in food.

"Tumeric for example, is so good for you, but you might not cook with it very often. Infusing it with water into a tea is a great way to get the health benefits that Indian cultures have known about for thousands of years."

The Caffeine Question

Teas that contain caffeine are any that come from the tea plant. This includes the black tea we drink most of the UK, and green and white. They're different 'colours' and taste different thanks to the leaves used and the processes used to dry them into the tea we infuse with water.

Black tea is made by fermenting the tea leaves and it contains 75mg of caffeine in one cup. Green tea is processed but not as highly as the black tea, and it contains far less caffeine - around 32mg per cup. White is the 'purest' tea, not fermented at all and containing around 23mg of caffeine.

You can get decaffeinated version of all which retain the goodness but have less of the drug, which can be helpful if you're highly reactive to it or if you're pregnant or cutting down.

Teas from the tea plant are all rich in antioxidants, but because it's the least processed white tea contains the most followed by green. Not that black doesn't have loads too! So if it's your favourite, don't feel like you have to switch.

But to tackle particular problems or goals in your life, there are other teas that don't come from the tea bush.... And they're worth a try.

Stress

Having a nice cup of tea can calm most situations but there are some specific types of tea that genuinely help with stress and anxiety.

"Chamomile has a long history of being used to deal with anxiety. The effects can last a long time after you take it and it raises the amino acid glyciene which helps us get to, and stay, asleep - so it's one to have before bed," says Charlotte.

Anti Stress teas:
- Chamomile
- Lemonbalm
- Lavender
- Hops

"You can drink so-called 'night time teas' with these ingredients at any time of the day if you feel you need to handle stresses better - they're not sleeping pills so you won't actually fall asleep by drinking them!" Charlotte reassures us.

Energy

On the other end of the spectrum teas can raise your energy - and that doesn't mean fill you with caffeine. Other herbs used in tea-making have energy-giving properties without the negative side effects of caffeine.

"Ginseng has been used for pepping people up in many traditional societies so look out for that in your teas," says Charlotte.

Energy teas:
- Ginseng
- Liquorice
- Ginger

If you do want a little caffeine, green tea is a good option as it has lower levels than coffee and even black tea and is packed with antioxidants so is a healthy way to get a caffeine-based boost.

Skin

Speaking of green tea, it's great for your skin too.

"Black tea actually has loads of antioxidants," says Charlotte. "So don't write it out - it's great for you. But it does have the highest caffeine content because it's fermented. Green and white teas have less but more antioxidants which is why you often see such improvements in your skin when you drink them regularly."

Even if you think you don't like green tea, try a few - there are so many versions and flavours that you may find one you love, even if you think some taste like dishwater.

"The added flavourings don't take away from the benefits of the tea."

Fun fact - black tea took off for Brits because of the long distances required to get it to us. The tea leaves would be processed and fermented to make them stay fresh longer for us to enjoy when they arrived in the UK from India.

Skin teas:
- Green
- White
- Dandelion
- Oolong

Sleep

Teas that help with sleep are often the same as those that release anxiety and stress. So chamomile is well known for its sleep-encouraging properties and really helps.

"It's partly the routine and partly the power of the tea itself," says Charlotte.

Sleep teas:
- Chamomile
- Valerian
- Lavender
- Lemonbalm

Digestion And Weight Loss

It's not just emotional or mental states that tea can help with. Digestion can be eased by a number of teas.

"Mint is the one we've heard about when it comes to digestion, and it's great to have a variety of mints and even fresh infusions, which I love," says Charlotte.

"Ginger is good for nausea and stomach settling, while cinnamon mimics insulin so is perfect when you're craving sugar."

For weight loss, tea can be helpful in that it stops you mindlessly eating - you can have a cuppa instead - but also because some teas have weight loss properties. Green and white tea are both thought to aid weight loss, and rooibos tea is particularly good beacuse it contains a unique and powerful flavanoid called Aspalathin, which can reduce stress hormones that trigger hunger and fat storage.

Digestive teas:
- Mint
- Ginger
- Cinnamon (often found in Chai)

Weight loss teas:
- Green
- White
- Oolong
- Rooibos

Other tea benefits:

Drinking any kind of non-caffeinated tea keeps you hydrated and that in itself will help with headaches caused by dehydration. Dandelion and nettle are also good for headaches.

Tumeric is an anti-inflammatory that's been used for years for its health benefits. Infuse it with a little almond milk.

And if you want to make the most of your tea bags, don't chuck them out. Keep them in the fridge and use as a refreshing eye mask. Or Charlotte recommends using Roibosh Earl Grey as a base for cooking soups and stews.

Ah tea, no wonder it's our fave!

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