How Royal Black Tea Got Overtaken By Its More Healthy Green Tea Sibling

While green tea has been prevalent in many Asian countries for thousands of years, it's comparatively new to the Western world. Learn why its black tea sibling made it to the world stage sooner, and how health related research findings allowed the latter to surge. 

History of Tea: Black Tea, The Royal Drink

In the 17th century Queen Elizabeth ordered the formation of the East India Company that eventually dominated world tea trade in the 17th until the 19th century. In the 19th century, tea seeds were transported from China to India, and the black tea growing techniques were copied, so that the tea could be produced in larger scale for the East India Company to export. Black tea became the 'royal drink' that everybody now could enjoy. Indeed, there's so much tea history that most tea lovers aren't aware of.

Green Tea Versus Black Tea: What's the Difference?

Whether you're a daily tea drinker or not, most people don't really know about the difference between green and black tea. Is it a different plant that's used? No. In fact, both types are made from the Camellia Sinenses tea plant. The difference lies in the way it's processed. Green tea is minimally processed, allowing it to retain its fresh green color, while for producing black tea, the leaves are first allowed to fully oxidize. Hence its black color. This difference in processing has an effect on the final chemical composition, and this is important: researchers worldwide are reporting different health benefits of green tea, that it's black tea sibling can't offer.

Tea Research & The Surge of Green Tea

It's the recognition of certain green tea health benefits by scientists that eventually allowed this tea type to surge in popularity. A detailed research in China by Zhang in 2002 shows that ovarian cancer patients who drink 1 cup of green tea every day have a better survival rate than those who don't. In 2014, researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute found EGCG, a polyphenol present in green tea, affected the metabolism of pancreatic cancer cells by preventing the development of an enzyme associated with this type of cancer. It has also been found that prostate cancer has a diminishing growth, frequency and duration rate among green tea consumers. Further, clinical studies and trials are on for green tea benefits for esophageal, lung, colorectaland stomach cancer, although results have been inconclusive so far. Below you can find a complete summary the health related findings:

1. Protection of heart

Green tea lowers the blood cholesterol level and helps the body to burn fat, thus protecting our heart from cardiovascular disease. Studies have proved consumption of 3 cups of green tea per day reduces heart disease by at least 11%. It also controls the blood pressure of our body and helps the heart to prevent and manage heart diseases. Many kinds of toothpaste contain green tea which helps to maintain oral health. This is important because health experts have found a connection between dental health and the heart.

2. Anti-cancer

One of the ingredients of green tea is EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a strong antioxidant which helps to battle against cancer, according to studies. It prevents cancer cells from growing by binding to a particular enzyme. Green tea especially helps to fight cancer of the prostate, breast, and lung.

3. Weight loss

Green tea helps overweight people lose weight. Green tea generates heat energy and burns more calories than diet control and exercise alone thus increasing the body metabolism. Green tea is also the cheapest and natural weight loss product available now. Weight loss as a benefit of green tea is due to the high concentration of polyphenols in green tea which helps to oxidize fat.

4. Cholesterol

Green tea helps lower the total cholesterol level in human body and increases HDL (good cholesterol). Smokers mainly benefit, as green tea consumption helps lower the harmful LDL cholesterol in their body that is built through smoking.

5. Diabetes

Green tea research in regards to diabetes has been one of the most challenging subjects ever. Although tests are still being done to prove it can slow the progression of Type 1 diabetes, it has already been proven that green tea extract powder can reduce the Hemoglobin A1c level in borderline diabetics.

There are other benefits of green tea, like the regulation of blood sugar, replenishment of skin, and improvement of brain conditions like Alzheimers. Make green tea a part of your daily life and you might enjoy the same benefits research has shown so far. More importantly, give it a try and see if you love the flavour and aroma. It's easy to incorporate beverages in your daily diet only if you love the taste!