Tea-drinking is a great way to reduce your caffeine intake and still enjoy a warm, enlivening beverage morning, afternoon, or evening. Studies show that the daily consumption of tea can help protect seniors from cognitive decline, a good enough reason in its own right to change from coffee to tea. The National University of Singapore discovered that drinking a cup of tea once a day could cut the risk of cognitive decline in seniors by 50 percent.
But preventing cognitive decline isn’t the only health benefit of drinking tea. There are many different types of tea out there, and the health benefits of each are slightly different. Take a look at some of the reasons you may want to revisit your favorite teas and try something new.
IMAGE: PEXELS
1. Green Tea
Green tea has a reputation for its health benefits. It’s low in caffeine and high in antioxidants. Green tea is made by steaming or dry heating tea leaves (which come from the plant Camellia sinensis).
As one of the most well-researched types of tea, the health benefits of green tea have a lot of scientific evidence. Among the benefits of drinking green tea are:
- Protection against a variety of cancers
- Lower risks of cardiac disease
- Protection from stroke and Type 2 diabetes
- Memory enhancement
The combination of health benefits makes green tea an excellent choice for seniors.
2. Black Tea
The next most common type of tea, black tea is made by fermentation, leading to an increase in antioxidants present in black tea. These antioxidants can reduce artery-blockages and reduce the risk of heart attacks. For everyday ailments, black tea is also great at easing headaches and stomach aches. Black tea is a great way to replace coffee from your morning routine, as it’s a bit higher in caffeine than other teas and strong in flavor.
3. White Tea
Made from the fresh buds of the tea plant (hence the white color), white tea is dried without fermentation and minimal processing. This gives the plant extra-high anti-oxidant levels, which can serve as anti-inflammatories (great for joints) and an anticoagulant (great for blood pressure). White tea reduces oxidative stress and can even prevent insulin resistance – thereby improving diabetes management. More recent studies are now investigating the use of white in weight loss, as it’s known to breakdown cells of fat.
4. Oolong Tea
Oolong is a semi-green tea created by stopping the oxidation process just as the leaves begin the brown. You get the best of both worlds between green and black tea with oolong. In western medicine, it’s recommended for weight-loss properties, as oolong tea activates an enzyme that can help control obesity.
Tea can have tremendous health benefits. Does your retirement residence offer a wide selection of teas that fit your tastes and provide health benefits that are important to you? If you’re interested in the health benefits of tea for seniors, learn more from All Seniors Care Living Centres, one of the leading names in retirement communities.
Tea-drinking is just one way you can improve your health as a senior. It can help you cut back on stress-inducing, caffeinated coffee and replace it with a morning drink that’s good for your health.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS