Black Tea
This chapter discusses black tea and lists some popular varieties with descriptions of what they do healthwise. Black tea has many health benefits. It can stimulate the nerve cells of the brain to make a certain protein that delays the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s, improve memory, and increase alertness. Black tea also contains flavonoids. Flavonoids are an antioxidant that can reduce the likelihood that a person can contract esophageal cancer. One useful study on the flavonoids in black tea was written by C. Cabrera, R. Giménez, and M. C. López, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Here are some other health benefits that have been studied having to do with consumption of black tea. In this chapter, one source of information is listed after each benefit. Complete data on the sources is listed in the Reference section of this book.
Not included in the list but deserving mention is the calming effect of tea on body and mind due to the presence of theophylline as well as the phytonutrients tea adds to the diet.
Black Tea and Color Healing
Because some black teas can look mahogany red in the cup, they are sometimes associated with this hue in color healing. The color red represents energy, enthusiasm, good health, strength, willpower, courage, intensity, war, love, passion, and virility. Shades of all colors create subtle changes in the kind of energy they bring to tea. Drink red-colored teas to strengthen your constitution after an illness and to free yourself from the lingering psychological effects of a recent illness. A few herbal teas are also red in color; rooibos, honeybush, hibiscus, and rosehips are examples.
Other black teas look somewhat orange in the cup. Orange-colored teas help clear and revitalize the intellect. They also enjoy a reputation as vision-enhancers. They can recharge left brain batteries, enhance self-control, and stimulate willpower and the ability to adapt to circumstances. They also help a person declutter and organize the closet of the mind. These brews may even motivate one to achieve success. The superb-tasting orange pekoe, even though it was named for the Royal House of Holland and not because of its color, is a prime example. In the herbal tea category, calendula fits the bill.
Caffeine, Tannins, and Black Tea
There can also be some negative and even harmful effects to drinking tea, especially black tea. Consumption of black tea can aggravate fibrocystic disease if you already suffer from it, and those prone to acne, especially teenagers, can experience breakouts after consuming black tea. Tea can cause diarrhea and tremors in caffeine-sensitive people. If your serum potassium levels are abnormally low, you should not drink any kind of tea at all.
Besides these potential medical issues, you need to consider tea’s caffeine content, which is greatest in black tea than in other types of tea. The caffeine in black tea can accelerate heartbeat and raise blood pressure. This is good for maintaining alertness and for helping people with low blood pressure, but it can also be harmful if you have high blood pressure or coronary issues. Other side effects of drinking black tea are anxiety, headache, increased urination, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, nausea and vomiting, nervousness, restlessness, ringing in the ears, and tremors. These side effects have been reported in the journal Molecular Aspects of Medicine, among other places.
It is true that a pound of dried black tea contains twice the caffeine of a pound of coffee. However, you can brew approximately two hundred cups of fairly strong tea from that pound compared to around forty cups of coffee, making the caffeine content of the coffee you drink much denser than what is found in tea. From the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference comes the following list of caffeine amounts for different types of brewed teas:
Luckily, tea also contains the mild muscle relaxants theophylline and theobromine, which naturally help neutralize the negative aspects of caffeine. By indulging in a cup or two, you can remain alert and relaxed. Of course your overall health and individual tolerance for caffeine plays a large role in determining how much tea you can drink. If you cannot tolerate any caffeine at all, then herbal teas may be the route for you to go instead. Except for yerba mate, which contains more caffeine than black tea, they are caffeine-free.
You may also want to drink decaffeinated tea. As with coffee, there are several methods of decaffeination. Unfortunately, some manufacturers remove the caffeine with ethyl acetate, a highly flammable solvent that’s in nail polish. Even in residual amounts, this chemical is a skin irritant that can also cause sore throats, cough, dizziness, headache, and nausea. Environmentally aware manufacturers like Celestial Seasonings have chosen to decaffeinate using carbon dioxide and water, which is a perfectly safe process. The more naturally tea is decaffeinated, the more antioxidants and flavor are retained. Be advised that many decaffeinated teas taste dull. Decaf tea, it seems, does not interact as favorably with the tannins, essential oils, and polyphenols, which create the rich and varied palette of tea fragrances and flavors.
Decaffeination
You can eliminate half of the caffeine in your cup of tea by performing what is known as a “second potting.” Since caffeine dissolves in boiling water, decaffeinate your tea by removing the leaves from the pot after steeping and transferring them to a second, empty pot. Pour boiling water over the leaves again, steep once more, and you will have reduced the amount of caffeine contained in the tea by approximately 50 percent.
Tannins and Black Tea
Contrary to popular belief, the tannins in tea are not the tannic acid used to cure leather. They are a subgroup of antioxidants consisting of natural chemical compounds called catechins. Catechins are a type of polyphenol found in many vegetables and fruit. Both red wine and tea contain tannins, which interact with the proteins of the mouth to lend the uniquely astringent taste to these beverages. Black tea contains the highest percentage of tannins, but green tea, especially a hearty green tea like gunpowder, and some herbal teas like yerba mate also have them. Just one infused cup of green tea contains 200 mg of catechins, while you would need to drink a liter of wine to come up with 300 mg.
The same astringency that gives tea its flavor also functions as an antiseptic and antioxidant to help the stomach digest fatty foods. Tannins also help ward off bacteria and alkaloid poisoning from substances that contain, for example, ephedra, ergot (a grain fungus), nicotine, or strychnine. Research has shown that tea’s tannins can strengthen the immune system and cause cancer cells to self-destruct. In addition, they can lessen the damage done to lipids and DNA during digestion and keep the body from absorbing cholesterol. A few studies have shown that tea may have the potential to prevent coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke as well. Research into these areas continues, but more needs to be done before any of the above claims can be stated as absolute facts.
What is known about the tannins in tea is that they can interfere with the body’s absorption of iron. This is according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database on black tea. Those who are anemic, vegan, or vegetarian should limit their tea consumption to three cups per day and not drink it with meals. Black tea’s tannins can also inhibit absorption of certain medications such as tricyclics antidepressants. If you are especially sensitive to tannins, you may find that tea irritates your bowels, kidneys, and even your liver.
If you wish to cut down on the tannins in your tea and you are not lactose intolerant, try adding some milk. Instead of binding to the proteins in your mouth, the tannins will attack the milk’s proteins. You will lessen the tannins but miss out on the antioxidants and great tea taste.
Types of Black Tea
Numerous possible single black teas and blends are available on the market today. The following lists a few bestsellers with short descriptions and some suggested health benefits: