Which teas you should be drinking: The health benefits of tea

White tea
White tea leaves are the least processed and are picked and harvested while the leaf is still in bud form. The buds are covered with fine white hair giving the tea its white look. Although similar to green tea, white tea does not have the same “grassy” taste and contains a lighter, sweeter flavour.

In terms of health, white tea has been shown to contain even greater anti-oxidant capacity versus green tea, and studies have shown white tea to have a potent anti-bacterial, anti-viral effect. Although terrific for overall health, the effects of white tea and weight loss have not been documented. Thus, a mixture of green and white tea can be consumed throughout the day for optimal health and weight loss benefits.

Milk with that?
When adding milk to your tea, you may want to think twice. A study conducted at the Charite Hospital at the University of Berlin showed that adding milk to tea would block the healthy effect that tea has in protecting against heart disease. This occurs because the casein (a protein) in milk binds to the molecules in tea that helps the arteries to relax, specifically, EGCG (found in high amounts in green tea). In a nutshell, it is best to drink your tea with little to no milk.

Herbal tea
If opting for an herbal tea, there are a variety to choose from these days such a mint, berry options, peach, orange, lemon, vanilla and even chocolate! As a hydrating and tasty option, drinking herbal teas is a terrific way to warm up over the winter months. 

Herbal teas also possess numerous health benefits such as;

• Ginger tea – aiding with nausea
• Mint tea – optimizing digestion and settling stomach upset
• Berry teas – helpful in curbing night time cravings

Whether stocking up your own cupboards with tea or creating a healthy gift basket for a friend – keeping several varieties of tea on hand is the perfect way to increase your daily anti-oxidant intake all the while staying hydrated and healthy!

Try some delicious tea recipes by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen:

• Chai Tea Mix
• Mint Tea
• Citrus Mint Iced Tea
• Easy Iced Tea
• Black Currant Mango Iced Tea
• Tea-Smoked Salmon
• Earl Grey Pot de Crème
• Chai Ice Cream

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Dr. Joey Shulman is author of the national best seller The Natural Makeover Diet. Her new book The Last 15 – A Weight Loss Breakthrough is due out Jan. 08. For more information, please visit www.drjoey.com