Caffeine - many of us rely on it to get our day started. For most of us, we get the caffeine we need through our morning cup of joe. But did you know that black tea can provide just as much caffeine plus the added health benefits of tea? Today, we will go over what black tea is, the benefits of black tea, and how much you should drink per day.
What Is Black Tea Good for?
Black tea has boomed in popularity in recent years, especially in the United States. That’s because it provides you the caffeine boost you need to get your day going, along with other health benefits you may not get from a cup of coffee. What are some of the black tea benefits?
- Improved heart health
- Alertness and energy
- Black tea is packed with antioxidants
- Lowered risk of diabetes
- Lowered risk of cavities
Just because black tea is loaded with health benefits doesn’t mean you should drink 10 cups a day. In fact, there are some side effects of black tea due in large part to caffeine. Consuming more than four cups a day can lead to anxiety, faster breathing, headaches, and tremors.
Is Black Tea Good for Weight Loss?
When it comes to losing weight, you often think about your gut like a bad thing. The thing that you need to get rid of. However, improving your gut health is one of the easiest ways to turn your body into a fat-burning machine. This is how black tea can help.
Just like green tea, black tea contains polyphenols, antioxidants that protect cellular structures from free radicals. However, unlike polyphenols from green tea, black tea molecules are too large to be absorbed into the liver. This means black tea polyphenols remain in the intestine, boosting the growth of friendly gut bacteria.
Can Black Tea Burn Belly Fat?
A study focused on determining whether or not black tea can help promote weight loss yielded some interesting results. After following 111 people over three months, the researchers found that those who drank three cups of black tea per day lost weight at a higher rate than those consuming a caffeine-matched control beverage. Of course, other factors play a role in this, such as diet and black tea types, but researchers believe there is a correlation.
Is Black Tea High in Caffeine?
If you are a fan of caffeine, you are going to love black tea. Black, green, and white teas are all prepared from the same leaves, but black tea’s oxidization process means it contains more caffeine. When comparing black tea vs. green tea, an average cup of black tea has 47 mg of caffeine, while green tea contains anywhere between 20-45 mg.
Depending on the oxidization process - which varies depending on the producer - a cup of black tea can contain 90 mg of caffeine. Compare this to a cup of coffee which, on average, contains 95 mg of caffeine.
What Happens if You Drink Black Tea Everyday?
Drinking black tea every day in moderation shouldn’t be an issue for most people. However, due to the caffeine content, drinking it in excess or too late in the day can lead to problems. We have briefly touched on some of the possible side-effects of black tea, but here are a few more to consider:
- Increased anxiety
- Irregular heartbeat
- Nausea and vomiting
- Nervousness
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
As you can tell, many of these side effects are similar to the side effects of excessive coffee consumption. Be mindful of black tea’s caffeine content, and don’t overdo it.
Is Black Tea Good for Your Skin?
We’ve gone over the weight loss benefits of black tea, but it can also help keep our skin healthy, especially as we age. Black tea is full of antioxidants and polyphenols that delay the premature aging of the skin. By drinking black tea, you can delay wrinkles or prevent the development of wrinkles altogether.
It can also help reverse pigmentation that is often caused by overexposure to UV rays. The antioxidant properties of black tea can even help us get rid of unwanted and embarrassing blemishes.
How to Use Black Tea for Skin
The easiest way to reap the benefits of black tea is by consuming it via beverage. Most experts suggest that it’s safe to consume 1-2 drinks per day. However, there are black tea face masks that are available for direct application.
The Benefit of Supplements
Pairing black tea with a healthy regiment of supplements can keep your body healthy and improve longevity. Supplements such as spermidine help induce bodily functions like autophagy, which aids in the aging process.
