Before you head to Starbucks for your morning chai latte, we have some tea to spill on…well… tea. If you’ve never considered opting for a potent tea instead of a usual coffee or soda, you could be missing out on major health improvements for both your insides and your outsides. The tea health benefits are real! Whether you take it hot or cold, pouring yourself a cup of any of these teas steeped with health benefits (yes, pun intended) can have seriously positive effects on your overall well-being.
Green tea has been around for ages – but it has recently gained popularity in the U.S. for all the benefits it has on the stomach, heart, and skin. Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which is an antioxidant. As you can probably guess, this means that green tea is great for protecting our skin from oxidation, or any substances in the air that can cause slow damage to our cells (1).
Green tea has what it takes to fight off any outside substances that can cause dark spots, dullness, or sagging skin. And ultimately, it can ward off signs of aging with an added boost of collagen. If that wasn’t enough to sing green tea’s praises, it also reduces redness, reduces inflammation, and minimizes pores so you can get your ✨ glow ✨ on.
Just when you thought green tea was packed with antioxidants, we’re here to let you know that matcha is often called the antioxidant powerhouse. Think of it as the mitochondria of antioxidants for the body.
According to recent research, matcha is packed with way more antioxidants than any other superfood out there – enough for 10 CUPS of brewed green tea (2). Other than that, matcha is great for improving focus and detoxifying the body of any unwanted guests, like harmful chemicals. It also is rich in fiber and vitamins like:
So, if you’re looking to improve your gut health and want to see visible changes in your skin, the tea health benefits of matcha are perfect for you.
Have we been using the word “antioxidant” too much? Well, we’re about to do it again. Because black tea is full of antioxidants that can promote overall health. The polyphenols (a big scientific word for micronutrients in plant-based foods) found in black tea play a big role in maintaining a healthy gut by promoting the growth of good bacteria and stopping bad bacteria from growing.
Black tea also has antimicrobial properties that can kill off harmful substances in our guts which can significantly affect our skin’s appearance (3). A healthy gut + antioxidants = thriving skin. Thank you, black tea!
You’ve heard of the “kombucha girl” from TikTok, but do you know all of the tea health benefits that kombucha has? There’s almost too many to mention. Studies have even shown that it can provide the same benefits as green tea, one of the healthiest drinks on the planet.
For one, kombucha is rich in antioxidants and is a source of probiotics from all of the good bacteria that comes from fermentation. Like black tea, kombucha can also kill off any harmful bacteria since it's produced with acetic acid (4). And, we might be sounding like a broken record here, but our gut health and our skin can greatly benefit from all of the kombucha’s magic.
If you didn’t already know, chamomile contains chemicals called flavonoids – but they have nothing to do with flavor. While chamomile is super yummy, flavonoids are actually a type of nutrient present in many plants that play a large role in the tea’s medicinal effects (5).
Several studies have linked chamomile tea to reduced severity of menstrual cramps, lowering blood sugar, and treating cold symptoms (5). Don’t be fooled, though, because that’s not where the benefits end. Chamomile tea is also great for reducing inflammation, treating eczema, and promoting relaxation and sleep (5). A whole eight hours of beauty sleep? Sign me up!
For great benefits dealing with gut health, reducing stress, and promoting healthy skin and hair, you and a mug full of this tea are ~mint~ to be. Okay, puns aside – peppermint tea is a game-changer. Not only can it soothe upset stomachs, improve digestion, and prevent nausea, but it can also reduce stress and improve mental awareness and focus (6).
As an added bonus, it’s also caffeine-free, so you can have a cup at any time of day without worrying about jitters or getting your eight hours in. For the skin-thusiasts out there, peppermint tea is also used to treat dandruff by reducing itchiness and soothing dry scalps, reduce redness caused by acne, and prevent buildup of bacteria with its antiseptic properties (6).
We hope you’re not tired of this word yet, but hibiscus tea is chock full of antioxidants. The high dose of antioxidants in hibiscus tea is great for keeping the bad boys in the air away while also lowering inflammation to keep your skin looking dewy and fresh (7). If that’s not enough to convince you to pour yourself a glass, it’s also said that hibiscus tea can improve your digestion by acting as a natural diuretic to pull salt out of the body (7). With a taste almost like cranberry juice, hibiscus tea is also popular for its vitamin C, which can keep our immune systems strong (7). Plus, it’s often compared to flavored water since it’s sugar-free and caffeine-free. Hello, hydration!
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Originating in China, oolong tea was offered as a sign of honor, and we can see why. Besides antioxidants that can reduce inflammation, oolong tea leaves also naturally contain fluoride to help prevent cavities and tooth decay. At the same time, oolong tea has a lot of anti-allergenic properties to boost skin health and reduce the effects of eczema (8). Who knew, right?
Unlike some other teas on the list, oolong tea has caffeine but also contains the amino acid L-theanine. What does this mean? After drinking oolong tea, you’ll have a smoother and longer energy boost without the crash. If that doesn’t sound like a dream, IDK what does.
While you may consider yourself a coffee person over a tea person, the proof is in the pudding. Or, in this case, the proof is in a nice warm “cuppa” green tea. To say tea is good for you would be an understatement, so now’s the time to give it a try and see the results for yourself!
Written by Selena Ponton
