Antioxidant Properties of Black Tea

Tea is a natural beverage without any artificial coloring, flavoring or preservatives.  It is also free of cholesterol and calories.  Tea is one of the most common beverages consumed around the globe.  One out of every two people in the world today is a tea drinker.  It has been estimated that around 3.2 million tons of tea were produced in the year 2004.

Tea is made by processing the leaves or buds of the tea bush.  The degree of fermentation that the tea leaves undergo determines what type of tea will be produced: white tea, green tea, or black tea.

Different teas contain different amounts of caffeine.  The exact proportion of caffeine in each type of tea is still under consideration.  Black tea, which is made from leaves that have been fully oxidized, contains more caffeine than green or white tea.

Health Benefits and Antioxidant Properties of Black Tea

Apart from caffeine, tea also contains certain amounts of antioxidants.  Tea, especially black tea, contains a similar amount of antioxidants as fruits and vegetables

Antioxidants are the properties found in some foods and tea, which help reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as cancer and heart ailments.  The antioxidants contained in tea play a major role in protecting the body against certain illnesses.  The intake of food that is rich in fats increases the blood lipid levels, which in turn produces free radicals.  These free radicals cause blood vessels to stiffen and shrink.  Antioxidants attack these free radicals in the blood.

Tea could be a great replacement to coffee.  It has caffeine to keep you alert and studies show that is can be beneficial to your health.  Tea is also easily available as it is so widely used around the world.

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