Black Versus Green : Battle of the Teas

Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.  ~Author Unknown


Recently I’ve taken a trip back to my home country of Ireland for music related reasons and along with all the other delicious staples of the Irish diet that I have been indulging in, I have returned to the daily consumption of a good old cup of tea.


Tea is to Ireland what coffee is to America. The comforting daily liquid that fuels our day! There’s nothing like a hot cup of tea, or two, or four, on a cool windy Irish evening and you won’t enter any Irish persons house without at least one offer of a cup.


So what exactly are the benefits of a daily cup of black tea and how does it compare to its long health touted cousin green tea?


Well Green tea has long been hailed as the “better” tea to consume when it comes to a healthy lifestyle due to a powerful antioxidant it contains called EGCg. This polyphenol is noted for its beneficial effects in dealing with many diseases such as atherosclerosis, many types of cancer, diabetes and liver disease.


But when it comes to black tea this compound is lost, through oxidation of the leaves. However Black tea has powerful free radical fighters of it’s own called thearubigens and theaflavins. These compounds as well as fighting much of the same diseases as green tea also tame inflammation and are effective at fighting various viruses.


Both green and black tea promote weight loss by increasing metabolism and reducing stress.


Black tea also contains a high magnesium content which helps in the formation of bones and teeth and may help reduce the severity of asthma attacks.


It is also a good source of Thiamine which is necessary for the body to utilize carbohydrates as an energy source. It also helps with blood circulation and the production of hydrochloric acid which is vital for the digestive process.


So take heed my dear fellow tea drinkers, the consumption of our daily brew is actually good for us whether your preference be green or black. Just make sure your not dousing them with sugar or artificial sweeteners. If you need to sweeten your tea opt for a little honey, or stevia. Remember tea also has weight loss properties so there’s no need to ruin that with any unwanted calories from sugars.


So now, I’m off to put the kettle on. It’s evening here on Irish shores and that means only one thing in this country. Tea time!