What’s Your Poison – Green Tea or Black Tea

Where does tea belong? Is it a beverage or potion? Is it Chinese, Indian or English in its origin? What is the correct/best way to drink it? This discussion can take you back in centuries and may need a whole book to summarize. What is your go-to choice for evening energy kick? Green Tea or Black Tea?

Here is Some Trivia for You to Enjoy –

• The earliest mention of tea houses in China started in the 10th century.

• The Silk Route carried tea to Europe in the mid 18th century.

• Tea grew wild in India till this time when the East India Company started cultivating it.

• The Chinese brewed tea as a herb to cool down in the summers and keep warm in the winters.

• The English made afternoon tea famous only in the mid 19th century.

• Indians, with our love for flavor and dislike for the bland added milk, sugar, cardamom, clove and some other herbs to make tea in our unique styles.

• India ranks second after China in the cultivation of the best variety of tea which is the Nilgiri Tea.

• People say that the best tea to sip on is made in Moroccan cafes by men and poured in a very engaging style.

These days tea has found favor in the form of a health drink in India too. Rise in type two diabetes and increasing obesity has made people shun the sweet golden liquid to give way to its darker cousins the Black Tea and the Green Tea. Both are served without milk. Some people add lemon and a bit of honey to their black tea which is brewed from regular tea leaves. Green tea is more of a herbal concoction believed to boost metabolism and seldom has any additives.

Which is Better, Green Tea or Black Tea?

This debate should not arise as both are completely different forms of tea leaves. Both come from a bush called Camellia Sinensis. Green tea is derived from leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make black teas. Oxidation is the process of exposing green tea leaves to moist, oxygen-rich air.

To determine which tea is better for consumption we will have to look at their qualities.

Green tea has been known to have more antioxidants which sped up the metabolism in the drinker’s body. Drinking Green has been certified to burn fats and keep away some cancers. Some people even claim better brain functions and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, which has not been proved as a fact.

Suggested Read: What Are The Health Benefits Of Having Mushroom Tea?

Excessive consumption of green tea may cause insomnia and stomach upset and constipation and even iron deficiency. 

Black tea, on the other hand, has been proven to reduce clogged arteries, especially in women. It contains more antioxidants which may be the reason why it helps fight against skin infections and blemishes. Polyphenols and tannins present in black tea are said to boost the rejuvenation of skin cells and delay the aging process.

Regular and limited use of black tea also helps to get rid of a fatty liver. The only harmful side effects of excessive consumption of black tea are caffeine-related. These effects are mostly seen as insomnia and anxiety attacks.

If you really want to choose between Green tea and Black tea, you will have to determine for yourself if you want health benefits or overall good looks. Green tea aces where it is about burning fat and prevention of cancer. Black tea, on the other hand, is definitely better for your skin and hair.

You may choose a middle path where you can have Green tea first thing in the morning and after dinner and reserve black tea for mid-morning and evening drinks. That way you can have the best of both worlds.

Suggested Read: Why Do Tea Leaves Collect In The Middle Of The Cup?

Would you like us to create a poll to find out a winner? Or you may just ‘Like’ this article for Green tea and ‘Love’ it for Black tea.