Water is the elixir of life and essential for your well being. However, tea ranks next on account of its popularity as the beverage of choice. Indeed inhabitants of Asia, the United Kingdom, and Canada along with parts of Africa, favor this unique beverage that is made by steeping a handful of tea leaves in hot water. It is the oldest way known to humankind of becoming refreshed within seconds.
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You would be astounded to know that tea grew in abundance in less populated areas and was often ignored. Then came 2737 BC, and the Chinese Emperor added it to his morning cuppa thus, elevating it to new heights. It has remained entranced firmly in the minds of people.
The American coffee is a relatively new drink that was popularized post the Boston tea party. Tea is certainly not confined to a single type, though.
On the contrary, you will find avid tea enthusiasts discussing its merits based on the color. You thus get black, white, green, and yellow varieties of tea available now. However, all of them are sourced from a solitary plant, i.e. Camellia Sinensis.
The difference lies in the processing of the leaves as well the extent of oxidation it undergoes. It comes with a large number of health benefits but adding milk and a sugar cube to make it more palatable may reduce its nutritional benefits somewhat.
You may yearn for the age-old milk tea or root for the relatively new green tea. Which one should you drink, though? Green tea vs. Milk tea is a battle that has friends and families debating the issue in earnest. Each variety has its uses, and it would help you to arrive at an informed decision once you learn enough to distinguish between them.
Components In Cup Of Tea
While it is understood that a steaming cup of tea contains several beneficial components, most people prefer to drink it to boost their energy and remain refreshed. Morning tea has become almost essential in modern times.
However, it makes sense to take a look at the components in each type of tea to choose your morning beverage.
1. Antioxidants
Catechins, the main component of tea, comes with proven antioxidant properties. Green tea is chock-a-block with catechins that help the body remain healthy by protecting against free radicals responsible for illness and aging.
Unfortunately, your body will not get too many antioxidants by consuming black milky tea. It is the milk that prevents the absorption of antioxidants by body cells.
2. Caffeine
Do not automatically switch to coffee when you are eager to get caffeine. Tea contains a good amount of caffeine too, and you will find milky tea to have an enhanced amount of it in comparison to its green counterpart.
Milk tea is usually prepared with black tea that contains more caffeine. You will thus find 30mg-60mg of caffeine in a small cup of tea that has been steeped in hot water & milk for 8 minutes flat.
A known booster of energy, drinking several cups of milk tea may result in increasing your blood pressure and have your heart racing. Hence opt for 1-2 cups per day and to make sure better absorption of antioxidants, opt for black tea without milk or add some lemon juice to improve the taste.
3. Fluoride
You will be able to obtain a good amount of fluorides by choosing green tea. This will enable you to add strength to your bones and keep your teeth healthy without resorting to supplements. Adding milk will dilute this effect with the number of fluorides being greatly reduced.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
Consuming green tea will help you to benefit hugely from its bioactive components that improve both heart health and brain functions.
Some of the health benefits that have been proved by the medical fraternity include:
1. Green Tea Improve Cardiac Health
Green tea contains a good amount of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) compounds that maintain the lining of blood vessels and reduces stress and anxiety.
Do not ever add milk to green tea for better absorption of antioxidants.
2. Green Tea Increase Detoxification Properties
All the toxins may be eliminated from the body, courtesy of green tea.
It will not only boost your immunity but may also improve the health of your skin, making it blemish-free and glossy in appearance.
3. Green Tea May Help Weight Loss
Antioxidants coming from green tea helps to fight against free radical damage and improves metabolism.
This helps in weight loss when combined with well-balanced nutrition and exercises.
Health Benefits of Milk Tea
Milk tea is prepared by adding a tablespoon or 2 of milk to brewed black tea. It is consumed hot and is popular across the UK and parts of South Asia.
Some of the advantages associated with drinking milk tea include:
1. Better Taste
The sharp, astringent taste is reduced considerably with the addition of milk. This kind of tea is flavorful and favored in almost all tea-drinking communities that cannot do without a cup of morning tea
2. Added Benefits
Many people, make sure to have tea with the added flavor of either ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, tulsi leaves, mint leaves, or some herbs. This adds more flavors along with additional health benefits
Green Tea vs Milk Tea – Which Is Healthier?
Tea whether black, green, or white, when consumed on its own by infusing in hot or cold water, contains very few calories. However, most people favor milk tea. Adding milk to it not only reduces a host of health benefits but may also diminish its value to a great extent. Medical professionals recommend drinking tea without any flavor enhancer to ensure obtaining the full extent of its benefits.
Sure, milk is a complete food, but adding it to black tea will add nothing to the tea. Instead, it can prove to be ineffective. So, go ahead and drink tea to boost your energy levels but remember to drink it in the raw form by steeping it in hot water. You may add a drop of lemon to get rid of the bitter taste instead of milk.
If you are eager to compare the pluses of green and milk tea, then it is the green tea that gets to check a majority of boxes. Check out the details below and choose the healthier option.
- Green tea has plenty of fluorides that are beneficial for bone & dental health, but milk tea has a reduced amount of it
- Caffeine content is much less in green tea than in its black counterpart. Mixing it later with milk may cause your heart to beat faster and your blood pressure to go up
- An abundance of EGCG helps in blood circulation by protecting the lining of blood vessels. By mixing adding milk to black tea you may end up with not many benefits
- Green tea is believed to help in losing weight while the milk in tea adds calories as many prefer it with sugar
Summary
Both green and black teas have several shared benefits, including energy-boosting and heart health improvement.
Green tea contains additional antioxidants that add to your health. Be mindful of drinking milk tea for it may not be as effective as green tea and may add extra calories.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Is it alright to drink milk tea?
A. Adding milk to black tea is a common practice. Tea is rich in antioxidants that benefit the body in several ways. Medical professionals advise drinking tea without milk to maximize nutritional gains. You may drink milk and tea separately if you cannot do without either of the beverage. Mixing the two may result in certain digestive issues and inhibit the power of tea to a great extent.
Q. How much green tea should you consume?
A. You can consume 2-3 cups of green tea per day. Drinking too many cups can be problematic.
Q. Is it okay to drink 12 cups of green tea a day as an alternative to water?
A. There is no alternative for water. So remember to stay hydrated by consuming water between meals, at regular intervals. Green tea is advantageous for health, but going overboard and replacing water entirely with green tea can cause stomach pains, diarrhea, and insomnia over time.
Q. Will dairy alternatives make milk tea taste the same?
A. Well, you can try adding almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk to tea if you are lactose intolerant. However, the taste may be a bit altered, and you may have to add sugar to enjoy it. Switch to the healthier green tea instead and have your tea with any fuss.
Q. How does milk tea harm your health?
A. Drinking multiple cups of milk tea throughout the day may make you feel nauseous and bloated. Your tongue will be coated, and your breath will stink eventually. The caffeine in your tea will make you restless and hamper your sleep cycle, causing you to feel tired all the time.
