Health benefits of drinking purple tea

Purple Tea

 

Purple tea is the latest tea variety grown in Kenya. It was first discovered as a wild mutant in India and China. Extensive research on this plant has been done by the Tea Research Institute of Kenya. What makes purple tea different from its counterparts is because it has a high content of Anthocyanins which gives this tea its unique purple colour. Purple tea has a sweet, pleasant flavor and its astringency is considerably less than green and black tea because of the lower amount of tannins.

 

Health benefits of drinking purple tea.

 

·         Helps to fight cancer

Purple tea is very rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals. Recent studies have shown that purple tea has a free-radical scavenging capacity of 51% as compared to 34.3% for green tea. Anthocyanins present plus other tea polyphenols present makes purple tea a superior cultivar than others. These compounds kill cancer cells at their early stages by destroying their cell membranes and prevent them from multiplying.

·         Assists in weight control

The high levels of catechins like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in purple tea are responsible for increasing the rate of metabolism in the body which results in speedy calorie burning, thus aiding in weight loss. Research has shown that purple tea contains a special type of polyphenol called 1,2-di-Galloyl-4,6-Hexahydroxydiphenoyl--D-Glucose (GHG). It acts on the lipase enzyme that helps in breaking down fats in the body.

·         Purple tea for Diabetes Management

Drinking a cup of purple tea between meals will help in regulating blood sugar levels. This property helps in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. It is essential also for diabetic patients as it prevents excess glucose absorption in the gut.

·         A Calmative Agent

Purple tea extracts contain mild anti-depressive effects. These properties would help to relieve all mental and physical exhaustion. Purple tea also contains a lower caffeine content compared to black and green counterparts which makes it a good calmative agent without affecting the individual’s heart rate and blood pressure.

·         Possesses antibacterial properties

According to research done by Yong Ma et.al (2019) on Food Control, anthocyanins and catechins significantly reduce the number of pathogenic bacteria in the body like Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. These phytochemicals can control the composition of the gut microbes to improve and enhance intestinal immunity and health, hence preventing food-borne pathogens from proliferating.

 

 

 

 

Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

GREEN TEA

1.    Helps in Cancer Prevention

Green tea has high levels of polyphenols. According to research done by the National Cancer Institute, polyphenols present in green tea have been shown to reduce tumor growth in lab cultured animal cells. Countries like China and Japan have lower cancer rates compared to other countries. This has been attributed to their high consumption of green tea.

2.    Promotes Cardiovascular Health

Green tea is rich in Vitamin C and good for cardiovascular health. Vitamin C helps in controlling hypertension. According to research published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, green tea consumption reduces the mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular diseases.

3.    Reduce Cholesterol Levels

Many pieces of research on green tea have proved that its consumption daily reduced the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (‘bad’ cholesterol) in the body.

4.    Prevents Type II Diabetes

Research has shown that consumption of green tea reduces the chances of developing type II diabetes because it assists in weight control and burning of fats.

5.    Assist in Weight Loss

Consumption of green tea assists overweight and obese individuals to lose weight. Practicing a healthy lifestyle of drinking green tea, having regular physical activity, and eating more fruits and vegetables would help in significant weight loss.

6.    Green tea effects on brain health

Research published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology has shown that green tea enhances the main brain functions, especially the working memory. Green tea also shows its potential in treating cognitive disorders like dementia.

Benefits of Drinking White Tea

White Tea 

1.    Rich Source of Antioxidants

White tea is a great source of antioxidants. It is a valuable source of polyphenols called catechins. These compounds play a great role in boosting the immune system.

2.    Prevention of Cancer

The polyphenols in white tea help in neutralizing free radicals in the body that can interfere with normal cell tissue production. Free radicals are dangerous and can be produced through an unhealthy lifestyle like smoking, eating unhealthy, or exposure to radiation.

3.    Prevention of Heart Disease

Polyphenols in white tea help in the prevention of heart diseases by blocking the oxidation of Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL). It helps also in relaxing the blood vessels. However, for a healthy heart, one should practice healthy living by doing regular exercises, eating more vegetables and fruits, and drinking a lot of water.

4.    Help to reduce weight

White tea like green tea contains catechins like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that help in burning fat. It increases the body's metabolism by breaking down fat during exercise thus aid in weight reduction.

5.    Antibacterial Properties

White tea contains tannins and other phytochemical compounds that help in fighting bacteria. It helps in preventing tooth cavities and decay.