Birchall Teas To Support Your Healthy “New Year, New Me” 2021 Resolutions
2020 has been a year of change and challenge, it has been a year associated with adversity and also simplicity. From mornings filled with PE With Joe, 2020 has been a year that has seen us adapt more than ever to almost daily changes, yet we find ourselves at the end of 2020, and now it’s time to take stock of months of learning and focus into 2021.
This coming year, fill your New Years resolution list with easy, good-for-you goals. Try some simple lifestyle tweaks each day, and you’ll not only jumpstart a healthier body and mind — you’ll feel fantastic and make 2021 a much better year than ever before.
It’s time to put you first to help you with your “New Year, New Me” solutions we have put together a helpful guide to healthy teas to compliment your lifestyle changes.
1. Camomile Tea
Camomile tea is most commonly known for its calming effects and is frequently used as a sleep aid.
Two studies have examined the effects of camomile tea or extract on sleep problems in humans.
In one study of 80 postpartum women experiencing sleep issues, drinking chamomile tea for two weeks led to improved sleep quality and fewer symptoms of depression.
Another study in 34 patients with insomnia found marginal improvements in waking up during the night, time to falling asleep and daytime functioning after taking chamomile extract twice a day.
What’s more, camomile may not just be useful as a sleep aid. It is also believed to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and liver-protecting effects.
2. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is one of the most commonly used herbal teas in the world.
While it’s most popularly used to support digestive tract health, it also has antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Most of these effects have not been studied in humans, so it’s not possible to know if they might lead to health benefits. However, several studies have confirmed peppermint’s beneficial effects on the digestive tract.
Several studies have shown that preparations of peppermint oil, which often included other herbs as well, can help relieve indigestion, nausea and stomach pain.
Evidence also shows that peppermint oil is effective at relaxing spasms in the intestines, oesophagus and colon.
Lastly, studies have repeatedly found that peppermint oil is effective at relieving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Therefore, when you experience digestive discomfort, whether it be from cramping, nausea or indigestion, peppermint tea is a great natural remedy to try.
3. Redbush Tea
Rooibos is an herbal tea that comes from South Africa. It is made from the leaves of the rooibos or redbush plant.
South Africans have historically used it for medicinal purposes, but there is very little scientific research on the topic.
Nevertheless, a few animal and human studies have been conducted. So far, studies have failed to show that it’s effective for allergies and kidney stones.
However, one study has shown that rooibos tea may benefit bone health. One test-tube study suggests that rooibos tea, along with green and black tea, might stimulate the cells involved in bone growth and density.
The same study found that the teas also lowered markers of inflammation and cell toxicity. The researchers suggested that this might be why drinking tea is associated with higher bone density.
Moreover, preliminary evidence shows that rooibos tea may help prevent heart disease.
One study found that rooibos tea inhibited an enzyme that causes blood vessels to constrict, similarly to how a common blood pressure medication does.
Also, another study found that drinking six cups of rooibos tea daily for six weeks lowered blood levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and fat, while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol.
Much more research is needed to confirm these effects and discover any further benefits. However, the preliminary evidence shows promise.
4. Green Tea
Widely known as a superfood, green tea is made from tea leaves that are not oxidised after harvest. They are instead steamed, then quickly dried and stored. Green tea has about 29 mg of caffeine per cup.
While all tea is healthy, “green tea is probably the healthiest,” says Soloff. Green tea gets this excellent reputation because it is high in antioxidant-like compounds, which are believed to have a beneficial effect on brain function. The best-known antioxidant-like compound in green tea is EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). Green tea may also help support weight loss.
Green tea gets this noble/superb, etc., reputation because it is high in antioxidant….which is believed to have a beneficial effect on brain function.
5. Lemongrass & Ginger Tea
Lemongrass and Ginger tea is an aromatic, warming, citrus-flavored beverage. But these herbs aren’t just tasty; they also offer a range of proven health benefits, as well as an intriguing array of possible benefits that are still under investigation.
The Benefits of Ginger
Perhaps the best-known — and best-proven — uses of ginger is to reduce nausea and vomiting. It’s very popular as a remedy for motion sickness, but the vast bulk of studies on its efficacy relate to pregnancy- or chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
An excellent summary of this research is published in a 2016 issue of Integrative Medicine Insights, where researchers note that many studies show positive results for reducing nausea and vomiting, with a few returning unremarkable results.
What About The Benefits Of Lemongrass?
Lemongrass also shows noteworthy benefits in the fight against cancer. In the 2019 issue of Integrative Cancer Therapies, researchers note that lemongrass demonstrates potent activity against colon cancer. And an analysis published in the March 2018 issue of International Journal of Oncology showed that lemongrass essential oil and citral (the major active constituent in lemongrass) help suppress small-cell lung cancer.
Is It OK to Drink Tea Every Day?
If you don’t add cream or sugar, tea is naturally calorie-free, and sipping on tea could be a good way to stay hydrated, too! that’s great news for anyone who gets bored sipping on plain water throughout the day.
If you drink tea for the caffeine, that’s fine, but you’ll need to drink even more water to reach your hydration goals.
Because of the diuretic effect of caffeine, drinking a cup of caffeinated tea (like black tea or green tea) would be like drinking half a cup of water. (A helpful habit is to drink a cup of water after every cup of coffee or tea.)
The caffeine content in tea can range from 14 to 61 mg per serving:
1. White tea contains the least caffeine.
2. Oolong and green tea are in the middle.
3. Black tea is the most caffeinated tea.
Research published in 2008 in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology found that caffeine content can vary by brand and steeping time, too.
Herbal teas come in a variety of delicious flavours and are naturally free of sugar and calories.
Many herbal teas also offer health-promoting effects, and modern science has begun to validate some of their traditional uses.
So with your new found knowledge on tea why not pick any (or all!) of the teas from our list, and raise a “cuppa” to your health.
Happy New Year From Team Birchall.
Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27790360/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/261356-what-are-the-benefits-of-lemongrass-and-ginger-tea/
https://www.openfit.com/healthy-tea
https://academic.oup.com/jat/article/32/8/702/829967
Image By: Tina Witherspoon
