It hardly matters why you have chosen to seek a healthier lifestyle; what does matter is how you take steps to achieve it. Working out day and night will not build the body you want unless you know how to perform the proper exercises. Likewise, cutting foods left and right from your diet won’t achieve much if you are inhibiting your body from receiving the nutrients it needs.
It is crucial to perform research on potential lifestyle changes and speak with professionals about valuable strategies to achieve your particular health goals. Fortunately, there is one addition to your lifestyle that almost every health professional whole-heartedly supports: drinking tea.
Tea has been a cultural staple for centuries, but only recently has modern research discovered just what amazing health benefits the beverage provides. The following six facts, backed by science, should inspire you to drink a cup (or more) every day.
1. Tea Protects You From Disease
An astounding number of studies suggest that tea protects you from all sorts of terrifying and debilitating diseases. Here is a quick summary of the most astounding findings:
- Tea-drinkers are less likely to develop myriad liver diseases, from hepatocellular carcinoma to cirrhosis.
- Your risk of depression decreases roughly 37 percent for every three cups of tea you drink a day.
- You have a 21 percent lower chance of having a stroke if you drink three cups of tea per day.
- Three cups of tea will also further reduce your risk for coronary heart disease, cardiac death, cerebral infarction, and intracerebral hemorrhage.
- For every two cups of tea you drink per day, your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes lessens by 4.6 percent.
- By drinking just 3/4 cup of tea per day, you slash your chance of developing Parkinson’s disease by 71 percent.
2. Tea Gives You a Vitamin Boost
Unlike coffee ― which, when you buy it from Starbucks, only comes in the “bitter and burnt” flavor ― tea has hundreds of varieties, offering you a new and exciting tea experience every day. Plus, by mixing and matching different teas, you can drink up many of the essential nutrients your body needs.
For example, if you drink oolong black tea in the morning and organic chamomile tea at night your body will receive vitamins A, B1, B6, C, E, and K and minerals like fluoride, zinc, manganese, iron, potassium, and folic acid. You can drink whatever combination suits your body’s needs.
3. Tea Detoxifies You
While most health experts caution against week-long “detox” cleanses, they will attest to the detoxifying power of tea. Tea has a high oxygen radical absorbance capacity, which means it is excellent at neutralizing free radicals that can damage DNA and cause all sorts of problems, from wrinkles to cancer. Plus, the abundance of antioxidants in tea fortifies your immune system to give you even more toxin-fighting power. However, these detoxifying effects work best while you maintain an overall healthy lifestyle, replete with food and exercise; they don’t work if all you drink is tea.
4. Tea Hydrates You
Besides water, most beverages actually work to dehydrate your body. Indeed, the caffeine and sugar in coffee and soda act as diuretics, preventing your body from absorbing that precious H20. However, tea’s lower levels of caffeine (in addition to is amazing nutrient content) help you rehydrate, keeping your brain and body lubricated for the day.
5. Tea Increases Your Strength
Bone loss is a serious concern for most women as they age, but if you drink tea, you might not have to worry about osteoporosis. Emerging studies suggest that green tea improves bone density and strength, even in later years when bone loss becomes extreme.
6. Tea Helps You Maintain a Healthy Weight
A handful of studies in Japan have shown that overweight adults who drink green tea show a slight decrease in weight. However, most health experts suggest the benefit tea provides in helping you achieve and maintain a healthy weight is not in the tea itself; rather, it is the regular consumption of the beverage that keeps your waistline trim. Drinking so much liquid every day will keep you fuller, meaning you are less likely to reach for a calorie-rich snack every few hours. Tea is naturally calorie-free, which means you can enjoy all of these health benefits without weight-related worry.
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