Health benifits of different tea

The team at Dundee University this week announced that several black tea constituents, known as theaflavins and thearubigins, mimicked the action of insulin. While the scientists stressed that further research is needed, black tea is also full of free-radical fighting antioxidants which protect the heart and fight cancer.

Peppermint tea is most commonly linked with aiding digestion. The menthol content is widely believed to ease problems such as diarrhea, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches and is even thought to help control mild asthma, stress and protect us from the common cold.

An incredibly popular herbal tea, camomile tea is best known for aiding sleep, but has also been linked to fighting off colds, menstrual cramps, inflammation and muscle spasms. Camomile tea also has high antioxidant levels.

The far east has always been one step ahead with its magical potion that is green tea. This tea is made up of polyphenols which are considered the most potent antioxidants. Green tea has been linked to health benefits such as stabilising diabetes, aiding digestion, assisting in weight loss programmes, and slowing the aging process. These antioxidants have also been found to help lessen high cholesterol.

Indigenous to the South African herb 'rooibus,' red tea provides all the benefits of green tea and more - all without caffeine. The wonder tea contains zinc and alapa hydroxyl acid for healthy skin, magnesium for a healthy central nervous sytem, and calcium, manganese, and fluoride for healthy teeth and bones. Studies have also shown that red tea has a soothing property and can be used directly on the skin to relieve irritation.

Jasmine tea, made from green tea leaves with added jasmine flowers, comes with many of the same health benefits and is thought to be particularly good at lowering cholesterol levels.

New research suggests that white tea is now the healthiest of all. As the least processed of all teas, the health-benefitting ingredients of white tea are preserved instead of lost. It contains the highest level of polyphenols, known as disease-preventing antioxidants, and has ten times the antioxidants found in vitamin E and twenty times the antioxidants found in vitamin C.

Like many of our other teas, Oolong is rich in antioxidant polyphenols which prevent cancer and keep the heart in top shape. The added benefit of Oolong, however, is that it has much less caffeine than black tea.