Black tea is regaled as the tea of choice throughout the United States, Europe and areas of the Middle East. The pungently dark tea is created by allowing green tea to further develop its flavor by the drying and fermenting of its leaves. The health benefits of black tea often mimic those of green tea in offering cardiovascular support, blood sugar stabilization and potential weight loss. Try adding a splash of 2 percent milk into your teacup for added benefits of calcium, iodine, amino acids and, of course, flavor.
Maintaining Diabetes
Ongoing research conducted by Dr. Graham Rena at the University of Dundee in Scotland has found that the black tea compounds theaflavins and thearubigins may be an effective replacement of insulin in Type 2 diabetes. This is because of the compounds' ability to mimic insulin actions on FOXO proteins, according to Rena. Similar research performed at Alagappa University in India has offered hope for diabetic patients with pancreatic damage. Researchers reported significant regeneration of acinar and beta cells and protection of new cells in subjects who were administered black tea.
Weight Loss
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, black tea aids in weight loss through its ability to lower tissue fat levels in the body. This is believed to be achieved through catechins and polyphenols, potent antioxidants that burn calories and prevent glucose from entering fat cells. A different perspective, shared by University College London researchers, states that weight loss is achieved through black tea via the tea's ability to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the bloodstream.
Cardiovascular Support
Research has been surmounting that links black tea consumption with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The bulk of researchers believe this is due to the role of tea flavonoids in decreasing blood pressure, inhibiting fat and lipid oxidation, and improving blood vessel linings, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Research published at the American Heart Association has shown black tea to stabilize the nerves and muscles that regulate dilation and constriction of blood vessels in subjects with coronary artery disease.
References
- Tea Benefits: Black Tea
- Medical News Today: Black Tea May Help Fight Type 2 Diabetes
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Effect of Black Tea on Histological and Immunohistochemical Changes in Pancreatic Tissues
- The Linus Pauling Institute: Tea
- The Colon Therapists Network: Green Tea Boosts Metabolic Weight Loss
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