Tea has been enjoyed for centuries across the world for its unique, refreshing taste and health benefits. Below is a list of tea’s main health benefits.

Hydration

Drinking tea is a great way to help keep your body hydrated. About 70% of the body is made up of water and this level can be affected by water lost through perspiration or as water vapour when breathing and talking. When brewed, tea is approximately 99% water so drinking it regularly throughout the day will help maintain hydration and make an important contribution to your daily fluid requirements. Your daily fluid needs will vary depending on the climate in which you live in and your activity level throughout the day. As a result, it’s recommended that you drink plenty of fluids regularly throughout the day to keep your body hydrated and help prevent you from becoming dehydrated.

Manganese

Tea is also a natural source of manganese. One cup of green tea typically contains between 0.1 to 0.5 mg manganese and black tea contains about half this amount. Manganese is an essential mineral required for bone formation and for energy metabolism. It is also a constituent of an antioxidant enzyme, which helps prevent free radical-mediated damage to cells. In Europe, Canada and Australia, regulatory authorities have authorised the claim that manganese ‘contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism’ and ‘contributes to normal bone formation’.

Low Calorie

All teas (black, green & herbal) have zero calories, making tea an ideal everyday drink for everyone, especially those looking to maintain a healthy weight. You may be surprised to see how quickly your liquid calories add up from flavoured hot drinks, juices, sweetened coffee and energy drinks. Tea is naturally sugar free, so try swapping your higher calorie beverages to a tasty cup of calorie-free tea.

Flavonoids

Tea naturally contains antioxidant substances known as “flavonoids.” In vitro studies have demonstrated the antioxidant effect of flavonoids. Of the flavonoid antioxidants found in tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most commonly known. It is thought that regularly consuming flavonoids helps protect our bodies from harmful free radicals. There is ongoing research across the world looking into the positive health benefits of flavonoids such as EGCG found in tea.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has acknowledged that drinking green tea, specifically, has an antioxidant effect in blood: “Consumption of 1 cup of green tea green tea helps to protect blood lipids from oxidation ” (Reference: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/labelling/food-labelling-for-industry/)

Please visit the Tea & Herbals Association of Canada to learn more about Tea & Health: http://www.tea.ca/tea-health/