The Positive Impact of Tea

By: Holly Shivley

There are few things better than curling up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate as the snow falls and temperatures drop—but this holiday, try hot tea instead. Tea isn’t usually the first drink that comes to mind when making a quick Starbucks run or looking for a caffeine boost. Yet, as someone who’s never been a coffee drinker, and avoids sugary beverages as much as possible, tea has been my go to for years.

The benefits of tea are far and wide, from soothing a sore throat to helping calm anxiety. Here are just a few of the positive impacts tea can have, especially during a busy holiday season with dozens of errands to run while the weather outside is frightful:

Caffeine
While coffee does have more caffeine for a better energy boost, caffeine should be consumed in moderation. Tea is healthier in many ways, especially if you’re the kind of person who likes to load your coffee with sugar and cream. Tea oftentimes naturally tastes good enough to avoid adding any sweeteners. On the occasion that it’s too bitter or needs some added flavor, most tea drinkers choose honey, a natural sugar source that has benefits of its own.

Antioxidants
Everyone has heard how great antioxidants are, but few know they’re abundant in tea. The antioxidants help slow aging and regenerate cells, which some experts say can even help fight cancer. The antioxidants contribute to a healthy immune system that can help the body fight off other diseases.

Sore throat
Especially this time of year there’s no harm in drinking tea to ward off a sore throat, or cure one if it’s too late. The hot drink in general helps add some relief in addition to the smoothness tea can offer and antioxidants previously mentioned.

There’s a tea for everything
While most teas have the former benefits, there are teas meant for specific ailments—and just about every ailment. I’ve used detox teas that help when trying to work a bad diet out of my system and teas for stress relief that I keep in the drawer of my desk at work. 

Yogi brand teas are some of my favorite including the slim life, probiotic balance, stress relief, ginger and detox.

Stress relief
While there are specific teas for stress relief, black tea also has amazing benefits when it comes to dropping anxiety levels. Participants in a study experienced a 20 percent drop in cortisol, a stress hormone, after drinking four cups of tea daily for one month.

Tea has also been linked to lower blood pressure, reduced blood sugar and better heart health, among several other positive impacts. I noticed a major drop in weight during my freshman year of college when I first started drinking tea, usually one to two cups a day. Since then, I’ve seen other benefits as I look to keep my diet in check and stay alert throughout my day. So next time you think about grabbing a coffee, try a tea instead.