Numerous studies have shown that a variety of teas may boost your immune system, fight off inflammation, and even ward off cancer and heart disease. While some brews provide more health advantages than others, there’s plenty of evidence that regularly drinking tea can have a lasting impact on your wellness.
1. Green tea
A favorite with tea drinkers everywhere, green tea has been praised for its medicinal properties for years. Some recent studies have now confirmed some of these benefits, suggesting that green tea may protect various aspects of our health. To begin with, this beverage has been found to enhance cognitive functioning, with one study trusted Source connecting it to better working memory, the type we use on a day-to-day basis.
2. Jasmine tea
What we refer to as “jasmine tea” is a type of beverage that usually has green tea at its base, to which jasmine flowers are added for an enriched aroma.
But the benefits of jasmine tea aren’t solely due to the antioxidant effects of the tea plant, since jasmine blooms also bring their own medicinal properties to the mix.
3. Rooibos tea
Another type of tea with antioxidant properties is rooibos, or “redbush tea,” which is prepared from the Aspalathus linearis plant native to South Africa.
Research has suggested that the antioxidant effects of rooibos are similar to, if not quite as strong as, those of green tea.
4. Hibiscus tea
Those of you who enjoy the refreshing taste of a more sour brew may also be familiar with herbal infusions of hibiscus, a plant whose flowers can be used not just to make invigorating beverages, but also to give a subtle “punch” to salads, or as an elegant garnish for sophisticated dishes.
The most commonly used variety is Hibiscus sabdariffa, also known as the “roselle.”
For the tea — or, more correctly “tisane” (herbal tea) — its calyces are typically used, although other parts of the plant, such as the leaves, seeds, and roots, are safe for consumption.
Studies have suggested that extracts from the hibiscus calyx and hibiscus leaves have antioxidant and antitumoralTrusted Source effects.
5. Lemon verbena tea
Another herbal tea whose medicinal properties are getting increasingly recognized is that made out of lemon verbena, scientifically dubbed Aloysia citrodora.
