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Move over, coffee. Enjoying a hot cup of tea first thing in the morning is a healthy alternative to that cup of Joe. It delivers less caffeine and a powerful blend of antioxidants and nutrients to your body, helping to make your day better while having a positive effect on your long-term health.
Tea is calming, soothing, simple to make, and leaves your kitchen smelling fragrant. But with so many varieties of tea, it can be challenging to narrow down your choices to a few that deserve forever spots in your pantry. Here are four of the healthiest teas you should have right after you wake up for a better day:
Matcha Tea
Not only is matcha green tea pretty to look at, with a rich, almost decadent taste not shared by most teas, but it contains so many health benefits that it’s easy to see why it has become a favorite among tea drinks. Matcha is different from green tea in that it is made by grinding young green tea leaves into a green powder that you then add to hot water (with regular green tea, the leaves are infused in water), reports Time. It contains antioxidants called catechins and EGCG, which has been linked to lowering your risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Matcha green tea can also boost your body’s ability to burn fat and, as part of a regular diet, can help you lose weight.
Even though you’re not drinking coffee, it’s important to remember that many teas, including matcha green tea, contain caffeine and too much of a good thing can cause irritability or insomnia. But one warm cup each morning provides a boost of energy and incredible health benefits.
Black Tea
Black tea has less caffeine than matcha green tea, but it will still provide a nice little energy boost that will help you get through groggy mornings. It contains an abundance of an antioxidant called flavonoids that are known for being little helpers when it comes to your cardiovascular health by preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and keeping arteries healthy.
But that’s not all! Most people associate green tea with weight loss benefits, for good reason. But studies have also shown that mice given black tea lost as much weight over a four-week period as mice that were given green tea, reports Fortune.
“Our new findings suggest that black tea, through a specific mechanism through the gut microbiome, may also contribute to good health and weight loss in humans,” Susanne Henning, one of the researchers in the study said in a statement.
Oolong Tea
Good news for anyone sipping a cup of oolong tea in the morning before a big meeting or event: the partially fermented tea is known for improving mental alertness and helping you focus. Oolong contains theophylline and theobromine, two chemicals that are similar to caffeine and stimulate the nervous system, which makes it a way better morning tea than afternoon tea.
Like matcha and black tea, it provides a few incredible health benefits: it can prevent cancer, heart disease, and even osteoporosis and diabetes.
Chamomile Tea
Searching for a tea that won’t make you jittery? Try a cup of calming chamomile tea, an herbal variety that has no caffeine and is considered a sedative, rather than a stimulant. On mornings when you feel stressed out and want to dial back the anxiety, chamomile can work wonders. It’s also a known natural remedy when it comes to stomach discomfort and it can lower your risk of cancer and heart disease.
For more tips on teas, check out The One Anti-Inflammatory Tea You Should Have Every Morning To Lose Stomach Fat Fast and 4 Teas Nutritionists Swear By To Get A Flat Stomach Fast on SHEFinds.com.
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