Milk tea – Shutterstock
Adding milk to green or black tea reduces the effectiveness of its beneficial properties
Tea is very popular in many countries of the world, where there are many types of it, such as black, red, green and yellow, although they are all obtained from a single plant, Camellia sinensis.
According to Healthifyme, the difference lies in the processing of the leaves as well as the extent of oxidation to which they are subjected.
Tea gives a large number of health benefits, but adding milk and a sugar cube to make it more palatable may reduce its nutritional benefits somewhat.
Apart from tendencies and habits, scientific studies favor green tea over tea with milk for the following reasons:
1. Antioxidants
Catechins, the main component of tea, have proven antioxidant properties. Green tea contains catechins that help the body stay healthy by protecting against free radicals responsible for disease and aging.
But the body does not get a lot of antioxidants by drinking black tea with milk, because milk prevents the body’s cells from absorbing antioxidants.
A cup of green tea and another of black tea with milk – from Shutterstock
2. Caffeine
Tea contains a good amount of caffeine, which is more in milk tea than in green tea, because it is usually brewed using black tea, which contains more caffeine.
So, you should beware that drinking several cups of black tea with milk can lead to an increase in blood pressure and an accelerated heartbeat.
The portion should not exceed one to two cups per day.
Black tea with milk – expressive from Shutterstock
3. Fluoride
You can get a good amount of fluoride by consuming green tea.
Fluoride is useful in increasing bone strength and maintaining dental health without resorting to supplements. But while adding milk to tea mitigate this effect because the number of fluorides is significantly lower.
Health benefits
Many studies have proven some of the health benefits of drinking green tea compared to other types of tea:
1. Improve heart health
Green tea contains a good amount of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) compounds that maintain the lining of blood vessels and reduce stress and anxiety.
Experts recommend not adding milk to green tea to ensure better absorption of antioxidants.
2. Detoxifying properties
All toxins can be eliminated from the body thanks to green tea as it promotes the expulsion of toxins, strengthens the body’s immunity and improves the health of the skin.
3. Lose weight
The antioxidants in green tea help improve metabolism.
Thus, it automatically contributes to weight loss when combined with healthy nutrition and balanced exercise.
Green Tea – iStock
Beware of adding milk!
Milk is certainly a complete food, but adding it to black tea does not confer any health benefit. On the contrary, adding milk to both black or green tea can reduce the potency of the drink’s basic properties.
So, experts recommend consuming tea in its raw form by steeping it in hot water without additives to boost energy levels.
A drop of lemon can be added instead of milk to improve the taste. Experts warn that tea with milk contains additional calories, unlike green tea, which helps to lose weight.