Use National Hot Tea Month to learn the difference
January is Hot Tea Month in Canada and whether you are looking to keep warm this winter or kick-start your new year, here’s a closer look at this month’s celebrated hot beverage.
Different varieties of tea
For those looking to warm up with a cup of tea this winter, delving into the world of hot tea can be a daunting venture. Whether buying from a speciality tea shop or from the local grocery store, there are plenty of different varieties to choose from. Traditional styles of tea are all derived from Camellia sinensis, regardless of whether the tea is classified as white, green, black, or oolong. The different classifications of tea actually come from the refining process that the tea leaves undergo, including their methods of drying and which secondary ingredients are added to the teas. Rooibos and mate teas are made from the steeped leaves of their respective plants, whilst herbal teas are brewed from a plethora of ingredients depending on the flavour profile of the tea.
Tea as a diet aide
One of the most common beliefs about tea is its capacity to help an individual lose weight. For folks looking to shed some of the extra pounds that they may have gained over the holiday season, promises of weight loss tea—of which there are plenty of brands on the market—can appear to be too good to be true and, unfortunately, this is the case.
The majority of tea varieties are incredibly low in calories—they are, after all, dried leaves and flavourings steeped in hot water. They are as effective at helping an individual in losing weight as switching out your soda habit with water. While there have been plenty of studies about the metabolic effects of certain herbs that can be found in tea, so far, the results have been inconclusive.
Tea’s antioxidants and nutritional benefits
One of the most commonly agreed upon traits of tea is the antioxidant-rich nature of the beverage. While green tea has often been the poster child for antioxidants, all green, white, oolong, and black teas have some degree of antioxidants in them. While the various refining processes involved in tea production do take some of the antioxidants out of tea, with purer tea varieties commonly keeping their nutritional benefits more intact than their more processed counterparts. The exact research behind both antioxidants and the nutritional benefits of tea remain largely inconclusive, but most contemporary studies indicate that tea is a more nutritional alternative to other common beverages like sugar-laden soft drinks and juice.
While there are companies that have been trying to market tea as a delicious wonder drink that’s able to alleviate any ailment while helping the consumer lose weight, there just is not enough research to back up these claims. We do know, however, that tea is a great drink for those looking to warm themselves up with a flavourful, hydrating alternative to water.
Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion.