21 Reasons to Drink Tea and Ditch the Coffee

I love both tea and coffee. However, a few years ago, I made up my mind to start drinking tea instead of coffee after reading about the immense health benefits associated with tea. These advantages are so pronounced that a great majority of medical professionals recommend it over coffee.

It is not that coffee is really bad for you. It’s just that tea is so much healthier for you, especially if you drink a few cups each day on a regular basis. Tea is actually considered to be a superfood in many health circles. The Japanese and Chinese have been drinking tea for over a thousand years and swear by it. In fact, tea is the second most most popular drink in the world after water.

Here are 21 benefits from drinking tea that you don’t get from drinking coffee:

1. Tea is easier and quicker to prepare than coffee.
2. It generally contains less caffeine than coffee.
3. Almost all forms of tea contain polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids. These are antioxidants that have tremendous health benefits. They help detoxify your body and help lower or prevent the formation of free radicals which damage your body. These antioxidants help prevent numerous diseases.
4. Drinking tea has been shown to help prevent clogging of the arteries and reduce heart disease so prevalent in today’s society.
5. Tea improves your sensitivity to insulin and helps prevent diabetes.
6. It helps with weight loss, raises your metabolism and has been shown to reduce fat.
7. It contains antimicrobial properties which help inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in your body.
8. Tea actually helps lower cholesterol levels in the body.
9. The National Cancer Institute says that tea can help prevent numerous types of cancer, including breast, colon and prostate cancer.
10. Tea can help reduce the harmful effects of smoking on the lungs, including second hand smoke.
11. It has been shown to reduce the risk of neurological problems such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
12. Drinking tea reduces the risk of having a stroke.
13. It improves brain function, especially memory, mood and learning.
14. Tea helps improve dental health by reducing gum disease and inflammation.
15. It has been shown to improve bone density and strength.
16. Studies have shown that drinking tea helps prevent cataracts.
17. It helps improve muscle endurance.
18. It helps reduce cortisol levels which are associated with stress.
19. Drinking tea can help reduce allergies.
20. Tea increases your chances of living longer.
21. Tea is delicious!

What Exactly is Tea?

It is important to know that all true teas come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. The difference between different kinds of tea is the way the plant is processed. In general, the less processed it is, the healthier the tea because it contains higher amounts of polyphenols.

Herbal teas are not from the Camellia Sinensis plant and are, therefore, technically not teas. They do not have the same properties, although some may still have health advantages. Chamomile, lavender, ginger, hibiscus, rosehip, lemon balm, and other herbal teas are NOT true teas. And please realize that most tea drinks like Snapple do not have the same health benefits as regular tea, and they are full of sugar.

So What Are the Healthiest Types of Teas?

The healthiest types of teas to drink are:

Green tea
White tea
Oo-long tea
Pu-er tea
Black tea

I highly recommend you reduce or stop drinking coffee and start drinking tea. You and your body will be glad you did. Here’s to your health!