According to much research, drinking tea every day can increase both your life span and your health span (how much of your life your spend feeling healthy). Most research is focused on green tea drinkers, but a study done in the UK Biobank suggests that people who drink it black also get in on the benefits.
Note: while herbal tea also has many health benefits, this research focuses on teas made from the camellia sinensis plant, like black, green (including matcha), white, and oolong.
So why is tea so powerful? It’s full of protective compounds, such as:
Catechins
These powerful antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals and oxidative stress, reducing inflammation and preventing disease. EGCG is the most potent and researched catechin, as well as the most abundant in green teas, matcha included.
L-theanine
Tea is the only food source of this amino acid. It’s been shown to help reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and improve memory, attention, and focus. Research also suggests that it might have neuroprotective properties – it may help protect our cognitive ability as we age.
Flavonoids
The flavonoids in the drink have antioxidant effects that have been shown to be beneficial to heart health. They might also help protect against bone loss.
It’s suggested to drink at least one cup of tea per day.
