Tea has had a substantial role to play since ancient age; it’s not just a beverage; when it comes to health, tea sidelines coffee, alcohol, aerated drinks, or flavored drinks which can deplete the health. Many are unaware that tea stands second to water for its health and wellness benefits.
Tea has a great history for which wars like The Opium Wars were fought. The first war was from 1839-1842. The battle was between Qing China and the United Kingdom. In light of the British addiction to Chinese exports (silk, ceramics, and tea), opium was the only commodity that saved the British balance of payments with Asia from a ruinous deficit. Mid-century British merchants in China believed a ‘just war’ should be fought to defend progress.
We all speak of what benefits tea brings us. Have we ever wondered how it originated?
The roots date back to 2750 BC. There was an emperor by the name of Shen Nung. While he was sitting under a wild tea tree and boiling water, a medicinal leaf blew and fell in the pot of water, which made him curious and taste it. Surprisingly it was flavorsome and had medicinal value. So, it was then he approached China to make it famous for the nation's welfare.
Whatever he wished for happened, tea became one of the popular and the most preferred drinks thereafter. People initially just knew there was something called tea and they should try it, but gradually people started creating myths that are blindly followed until today. We will mention some of the myths.
Black tea should be black in color- It is unknown why black tea does not contain milk, honey, or lime. There is a myth that black tea should be plain without adding any elements. This is one of the healthiest drinks, which can also be prepared using cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, or cloves.
White tea can make you look younger: Made out of the Camellia sinensis plant, white tea is believed to restore your youthful appearance, but it is just a myth. So, stop drinking white tea, believing that you will start looking young and beautiful. A myth can never be true. White tea is no different from other teas regarding the levels of antioxidants and healthy enzymes it contains.
Tea can lead to dehydration: Tea is just a flavored drink containing water, milk, and some tea powder. It’s basically flavored water. However, drinking water will keep you hydrated. Drink tea, stay hydrated!
Green tea will help you shed pounds: Green tea indeed helps you watch out for what you eat. It reduces stress, bloating but surely doesn’t help you lose weight each day or week! A myth again.
Drink more herbal tea: It would be great if it’s true, but no, it is not! Some herbal teas can cause more harm than good. For instance, hibiscus reduces blood pressure, but if we overdo it, that can lead to adverse effects. Anything too much is too bad!
Green tea is the best cure for cancer cells: There is no clear evidence that green tea is the best source to cure cancer. Drinking green tea to a considerable amount is not harmful, but excessive tea can deteriorate your health.
Peppermint tea keeps stomach issues at bay: The best tea choice would be turmeric herbal tea or turmeric ginger tea; it has antibacterial properties that can flush out toxins. Mint can serve as a coolant, but pepper can bother the intestinal hair.
Adding milk can nullify the benefits of tea: This is a widespread misconception that adding milk to tea can eliminate health benefits, surely not! Milk has calcium, which is definitely good for bones.
Decaffeinated tea is free from caffeine: Even decaffeinated drinks contain around 2 to 10 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Herbal tea could be the best pick for those looking for a less caffeine drink.
Summing-up
For everything good, there will be something bad around. Likewise, the discovery of tea is good, but the myths surrounding it give people false notions leading to adverse effects. We have written down a few myths you might have been following that you should discontinue.
Before making any new decisions with tea, kindly check if the facts are correct, do not follow things blindly communicated via word of mouth. Sometimes it can be true but not all the time!
