Green Tea vs. Black Tea: Which Is Best?

You know how much I love tea, so even I am curious to know - is black or green better for you? I drink a lot of black but not much green - hopefully I am making the right choice!

Tea is a tiny little leaf that packs a big health punch. All tea leaves contain flavonoids which are naturally occurring phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants prevent free radical damage in your body which is thought to be the cause of many chronic diseases. The health benefits associated with drinking tea are numerous. So far we know that regular tea consumption may lower your blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, which can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. It may also reduce your risk of certain canters (rectal, colon, skin) and is thought to aid in good oral and bone health. On top of all of that, it seems to support at healthy immune system and prevent neurological decline. To get all those benefits in one beverage is pretty impressive, so drink up!

There are many kinds of tea available. Black, green, oolong, white and herbal teas are most popular around here. Some interesting data from The Tea Association of the USA is that on any given day about 154 million people drink tea, but 85% of these people are drinking iced tea (although not stated, this leads me to believe that instead of having unsweetened tea most people are consuming sweetened tea). About 80% of tea consumed in the US is black tea and about 19.5% is green tea. The health benefits that are associated with drinking tea seem to come from both black and green intake – with little difference seen between the two! Both decaf and regular tea contain these flavonoids so you can choose whatever suits your lifestyle and taste preference.

So what is the difference between green and black tea?!
Both green and black tea come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis). The leaves of this plant are grown the same way but treated differently after harvesting them. Black tea is oxidized (allowed to undergo chemical reactions caused by exposure to oxygen) and green tea is not. Oxidation results in color and flavor changes. That’s basically the only difference and thankfully it doesn’t alter the benefits in any way so drink up!

WINNER:

Both! Like I said above, the only difference comes with flavor and color, so it’s all about personal preference. Some companies mix in fruity flavors and some specialize in hard-to-find leaf varieties. Next time you go shopping, try a new one!