Antioxidants in Tea

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.

One of the main reasons why tea is considered as a healthier drink is because it contains antioxidants. But why is it good for us? A common process in our body is known as oxidation. This damages our cells, and is believed that this multiplying damage can result in aging and eventually, death.

Also, oxidation is accelerated due to pollution, overexposure to sunlight, smoking, and drinking alcohol in excess.

A charged atom (an ion), or a piece of molecule is a free radical. To reinstate its own constancy, that free radical searches for an electron to steal from its environment (an electron from your own healthy cells). Due to this, slight DNA damage occurs, or a protein becomes dysfunctional. Now this is where antioxidants show their magic.

As these are nothing but chemicals, they voluntarily offer their electrons to these free radicals and help save cellular damage. Every time they neutralize a free radical, they lose an electron and stop their own functionality as an antioxidant.

Good news is that tea contains various beneficial compounds like theaflavins (black tea), epicatechins, catechins (green tea), etc., which are polyphenols found in the leaves. Vitamin C and E, beta-carotene, and selenium are a few chemicals that act as antioxidants, which can easily be availed from nuts, fruits, meats, and vegetables.

However, the specific types called the phenols (also found in berries and grapes), are the reason why tea gets its well-deserved fame.

To calculate the exact amount in black and green tea, take one tea bag of each and steep in 200 ml distilled deionized water at 100ºC for about 2 minutes. Tea prepared with these specifications will give you 239 mg vitamin C equivalents per serving for black tea, and 436 mg vitamin C equivalents for green tea.

Legend has it that tea was first discovered by a Chinese emperor when few leaves blew in his bowl of hot water. Even though the process of brewing tea has slightly altered, the tea we drink presently is still the same.

• Drinking tea on a regular basis can reduce the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and stroke, protection against Alzheimer's disease, and help in losing weight.
• Both black and green tea can block DNA damage related with tobacco and other toxic chemicals.

• Green tea has highest flavonoid content (30―40% in dried green tea) known as catechins. Just 1 gm of green tea leaves contains 127 mg of catechins.
• As white tea dries in natural sunlight, it can preserve the antioxidant properties easily. Which means, white tea is also a good source.
• 1 cup of green tea contains 200 mg of catechins, which is equivalent to 8 apples.

• Green tea contains gallic acid, carotenoids, tocopherols, minerals like manganese, zinc, chromium, and other phytochemical compounds. Green tea has beneficial synergistic effects.
• Drinking at least 3+ cups of green and/or black tea (together or separately) each day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and promote fertility.

Since drinking either tea benefits our body, adding milk with the tea will not inhibit the body's ability to benefit at all. Each year, new research studies keep going back and forth with their claims if in fact, milk can or cannot reduce antioxidants. It is quite difficult to digest that milk can actually prevent absorption of herbal properties.

So until further research and studies prove otherwise, why not enjoy a nice cup of hot tea with (or without) milk!