Today Antioxidants are a widely used term in any discussion regarding healthy lifestyle. We need to know what antioxidants are and how it is beneficial to us. It is a component that can prevents damage to cells by using oxygen as its key ingredients.

Free radicles are molecules produced during the metabolism process of the body. Our body can respond to average level of free radicals, but if in excess, it needs the support of antioxidants. They are produced by the body and also acquired from external sources like various fruits and vegetables. But tea is believed to have more antioxidants than them.

How Antioxidants Fight Against Free Radicals

The busy urban lifestyle, along with pollution and radiation, has led to an increase in free radicals in the human body which it is not able to combat. It has led to many complications like deterioration of vision, arthritis, and coronary heart disease, accelerated ageing process, certain cancers and Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

All these can be countered with an antioxidant-rich diet. The antioxidants neutralise the free radicals with the use of oxygen and prevent oxidation, thus reducing cell damage in the human body. Plant produce like fruits and vegetables are a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are abundantly found in tea, which helps us to fight free radicals.

Antioxidants Present in Various Tea

The antioxidants present in tea are called flavonoids. All types of tea, black tea, oolong tea, green tea and white tea, all come from the same tree. Hence they all contain the same flavonoids. Catechins are a type of flavonoids found tea.

A. Black Tea and Oolong Tea

Black Tea and Oolong tea goes through the process of fermentation which leads to the conversion of the catechins to theaflavins –

• Theaflavin (TF1)
• Theaflavin – 3 – gallate (TF2A)
• Theaflavin – 3,3’ – digallate (TF3)

As with catechins these flavonoids too possesses all the antioxidants properties.

B. Green Tea

Green tea contains six main types of Catechins, they are –

• Catechins
• Gallocatechin
• Epicatechin
• Epicatechin gallate
• Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCg or EGCG).

These catechins in green tea contribute to the prevention of cell damage and weight loss. It has other proven health benefits too.

7 Benefits of Antioxidants Contains in Tea

Now that we know that tea is loaded with antioxidants, it will be interesting to see the health benefits of the antioxidants in tea too –

1. Tea helps to improve cardiovascular health and prevent strokes and heart attacks.

2. Daily intake of tea helps to keep the bad cholesterol at bay.

3. Antioxidants in tea help to block sun damage, hence preventing skin cancer.

4. The intake of tea also prevents other types of cancer like prostate cancer.

5. Risk of disease like Parkinson and Alzheimer’s, which is caused by the damage of brain cells is also reduced.

6. Studies have also shown tea gives a boost to metabolism, maintaining good gut health.

7. Tea packed with antioxidants helps to reduce weight.

Besides the health benefits from the antioxidants of the tea, tea has other advantages too. For example, tea has less caffeine than coffee, so it is a healthier alternate option of coffee. Tea also helps to prevent loss of bone density and boost our immune system. Enjoy the benefits of antioxidants with a steaming cup of Assam tea in the USA!