Health Benefits of Iced Tea may be could be your best solution for your amazing tea. Tea has became one of people favorite beverage since long ago. The culture of drinking tea has begun since the age of ancient Chinese emperor on 2737 BC. Tea was first consumed by Chinese emperor , Shen Nung and later it began to spread worldwide. People loves to drink tea because it has delicate taste and also it has calming nerve effect. Tea can be served in many ways, hot, or cold, in its original form or by adding milk, sugar and others. One of many variants of tea that people consume today is iced tea.
Iced tea is tea that served cold or brewed with cold water. The history of iced tea dates back on the early 1800s, and it has become so popular at that time. A hundred years later, Richard Blechynden, a tea plantation owner, was the only person selling iced tea during World’s Fair in 1904. Later many manufactured have settled the business of iced tea by releasing the bottled iced tea and instant iced tea to the market.
Why Iced Tea?
One of easiest way to enjoy tea is by cold brew method and having it as iced tea. Brewing tea in cold water may take more time and slower process but it will result in better tea quality, simpler and purer compared to the hot brewed tea. When you enjoy tea with hot brew, the contact of hot water with tea will bring bitter and complex taste.
Study show that cold brewed tea or iced tea has lower level of caffeine, lower bitter taste and heightened aroma. Iced tea may be chemically different with hot brewed tea and has different taste with the hot one since it has different flavor profile. Cold brewed tea or iced tea has smoother and get less astringent taste.
Cold brewing methode is also easier than brewing tea in hot water. You don’t need any kettle, hot water and anything just put the tea and brew it with water then place it in the fridge for sometime. When you gonna make iced tea by using cool water the tea leaves will slowly infused and it will not cause bitterness.
Iced tea Variants
There are some types of tea which best to be used to make iced tea or cold brewed. Here are the tea types that you can choose :
- Green Tea
Green tea is best recommended to be brewed in cold water and it has higher antioxidant level rather that the hot brewed. Green tea is a perfect choice to increase energy and metabolism yet it also beneficial in weight lost. Green tea is non-fermented type of tea.(Read : Benefits of Green Tea)
- White Tea
White tea is made from the youngest tea leaves that directly steamed and dried after being plucked. Same to green tea, white tea also posses higher antioxidant level when it got cold brewed. The flavor of iced white tea will be silky smooth and sweet on the palate. This type of tea is very low in caffeine.
- Oolong tea
You just need a very small amount of oolong tea leaves if you want to cold brew it. Oolong tea has high benefits in reducing cholesterol level within the body. Oolong tea is known as partially fermented tea which resulting light green and amber brew colors.
- Herbal tea
Many herbal iced tea that you can found in market nowadays. It is tea leaves which added by many herbals both fresh or dried. This herbal tea may contain chamomile, licorice, rosemary and other types of herbal leaves.
Health Benefits of Iced Tea
You may be less to know that iced tea especially bottled one have very low poplyphenols content because when it comes to cold brew, the polyphenols in tea leaves are not stable. But you don’t need to worry because iced tea have same or even better antioxidant levels rather than hot brewed one. Iced tea has significant benefits to the body, it includes :
1. Prevent cancer
Many studies has proven that tea can significantly prevent the development of cancer. Iced tea which brewed from black, white or green tea have strong antioxidant effects to the body and it helps to protect the cells from free radicals damage that leads to cancer. A study which conducted by researchers from Sweden found that women who drank two or more cups of green or black tea per day had a 46 percent reduced risk of ovarian cancer compared with non–tea drinkers. Research also show that tea drinker has lower risk of colon and skin cancer by 42%.
2. Reduce the risk of heart disease
Heart disease is number one killer in the world and it cause high mortality in many countries especially developed countries. Antioxidant in iced tea can protect the heart from damage and reduce the risk of having heart disease.
3. Help in weight loss
If you want to lose weight then consuming iced tea especially green tea with no added of sugar can significantly help to decrease body weight. Iced tea contains antioxidant and other active components which can improve body metabolism and burn more calories and fat. The cold brewed green tea can be an easy way to boost your metabolism during exercise.
4. Reduce cholesterol level
Cold or iced tea contains flavonoid and other components that can bind the cholesterol or bad fat ( Low Density Lipoprotein) in the blood and remove it from blood circulation. This is a good news for people who are aware with high cholesterol level.
5. Prevent atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis happen due to the aggregation of bad cholesterol inside the arteries wall. The antioxidant and flavonoid contents in iced tea can protect the arteries wall lining from the attachment of cholesterol. Those active substances also reduce the level of cholesterol that means reduce the risk of having arteries plaque and heart disease as well.
6. Increase metabolism
Tea is a metabolism booster especially green tea. Iced green tea can boost your metabolism rate twice and this means you will have greater energy level and also decreasing the calories and fat cells inside the body. It is a good choice for people with high mobility and activities.
7. Prevent caries
Iced tea not only refreshing but it also can prevent caries on teeth. Caries is a teeth disorder which happen due to bacterial growth and infection. The antioxidant and flavonoid in iced tea can get rid of the bacteria which causing caries.
8. Keeping healthy skin
Iced tea contains high antioxidant level that can increase the ability of skin cell to protect themselves from free radical effect. As we know that free radical is a culprit that causing many health problem including skin dullness and aging. If you consume iced tea regularly you may have a firm and healthy skin today and in future.
9. Prevent diabetes
Iced tea with no sugar will significantly help to control blood sugar level inside the body. A study found that people who consume regular tea, have better insulin sensitivity compared to non-tea drinkers. Iced tea contains high antioxidant that can prevent the body to build diabetes type 2 (diabetes which the insulin resistance to the sugar level within the blood even it establish in normal level)
10. Rehydrate the body
Having iced tea in hot days and after doing activities will be a refreshing way to increase fluid intake to the body else drinking water. You can choose your kind of iced tea and drink it to rehydrate the body after you lost some body fluid due to vigorous activities.
11. Calming mind
Iced tea can make you relax and soothe your mind after a hard day or even in a hot day. It can reduce your anxiety, stress and depression since it contains antioxidant that can supress the production of stress hormone, cortisole.
12. Fight inflammation
The antioxidant in iced tea can help the body to fight inflammation and reduce the risk of certain disease that caused by chronic inflammation. Iced tea especially green tea can increase body ability to reduce free radicals damage and bacterial infection within the body.
13. Prevent alzheimer
Studies found that people who regularly drink tea have better memory and lower risk to develop alzheimer ( a condition of brain damage that cause people losing memory and it usually happen on elder age) compared to them who don’t take tea regularly. This maybe the answer why people in Japan has very low alzheimer rates.
14. Lower blood pressure
Iced tea has better antioxidant content rather that hot brewed tea, this may effect the blood pressure and help the body to maintain it in normal level. Drinking green tea with cold brewed method can be helpful yet delicate to people who suffer from hypertension.
15. Prevent osteoporosis
Any kind of tea including iced tea can strengthen bones. Yes, and it has been proven by some studies. Study reported that tea can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and it proven by some Japanese women that have better bone density rather than those who don’t take tea regularly.
16. Improve immune system
High antioxidant contents in iced tea can improve body immune system by protect them from radical damage and oxidative stress. Iced tea also can promotes the development of immune cell within the body which really works in fighting disease.
17. Prevent Viral infection
Antioxidant and flavonoid contents in iced tea can prevent the body from viral infection such as influenza and even more tea can prevent the body from HIV infection according to some studies which have been conducted in recent years.
Tips to Enjoy Iced tea
There are few case reported that iced tea cause side effect. The only side effects that may rise from iced tea may include cough, or throat problem and insomnia since the caffeine inside tea may interfere with sleeping ability. Iced tea can be enjoyed in many ways. You can directly purchase bottled or instant iced tea on store or you can cold brew it at your home. Here are some tips how to brew and enjoy the iced tea:
- Purchase bottle or instant iced tea with trusted brand and watch the expire date label on the package
- It is better to choose green tea, white tea, or oolong iced tea to get more benefits and make sure it doesn’t contains many sugar.
- For diabetes patient, it is better to choose no sugar iced tea or brewed own iced tea at home. If you want to get sweeter taste its better to add some diabetic swetener to your tea,
- Cold brewing can be done at home by add 2 Tablespoons of tea leaves or a tea bag to a glass of fresh cold water in pitcher or mason jar. Brew the tea for at least 2 hours in the fridge, or for 10-30 minutes at room temperature. Strain the tea leaves and enjoy it. You can also serve it with some ice. If you want to make it faster just brew it in 15 minutes and place it in a bottle or container.
- You can also add more herbal or fruit infuse into your iced tea. Lemon is a great choice to increase the iced tea effect and it has refreshing effect. Instead of lemon you can also add mint, ginger, apple, strawberry, and even basil to your iced tea. Anyway the method of brewing tea can make you a creative tea brewer.
- Drink the iced tea within 6 hours to optimize its benefits and don’t place the tea container in direct sun.
We sometime didn’t realize that iced tea can bring many benefits to our body and we can enjoy it in different ways. Take the iced tea on the go and get the benefits while you enjoy the day.