Darjeeling Tea Benefits
Regularly drinking Darjeeling tea is an excellent way to enjoy a smooth, thin-bodied tea that has a number of excellent health benefits.
What is Darjeeling Tea?
Darjeeling tea is a tea blend that is traditionally cultivated in the Darjeeling district in West Bengal, India. This light variety of tea is a popular form of black tea, but it is made with smaller Camellia sinensis var. Sinensis leaves, unlike many other black Assam teas from India. This tea is not only popular in India, but it also one of the primary exports from that area of the country, and can be found throughout the world.
When it comes to taste, Darjeeling tea is quite subtle and mild, although it does have a slightly astringent or spicy aftertaste – one of its defining characteristics. Although Darjeeling tea is classified as a black tea, white, oolong, and green Darjeeling tea varieties have become more popular in recent years. These different types are produced by allowing the tea leaves to oxidize to different levels. There is caffeine in this tea, which provides some of its health benefits.
Darjeeling Tea Benefits
Darjeeling tea has health benefits like preventing cancer and gastric ulcers, improving dental health, & aiding weight loss, because of the catechins & flavonoids present in it.
The most well-known antioxidants in tea are polyphenolic compounds, which have been proven to reduce the effects of free radicals and lower your risk of developing oxidative stress. These antioxidants will also prevent cellular mutation, which can lead to certain types of cancer. More specifically, black tea has been linked to causing apoptosis in cancerous cells, particularly those that can lead to leukemia.
Dental Health
The antibacterial and immune-boosting properties of this tea can eliminate the bacteria and fungi in your mouth that can lead to cavities, as well as the infection that causes bad breath.
Weight Loss
Drinking tea can be good for your weight loss goals for a number of reasons, primarily because of its composition of caffeine. This chemical can stimulate the metabolism, which will increase fat- and calorie-burning, thus helping you if you’re trying to lose weight. There are also claims that caffeinated tea can help prevent the absorption of fat, making it even easier to shed those unwanted pounds.
Ulcers
A number of studies have found that the risk of gastric ulcers is reduced if you regularly drink this tea, as it can prevent a specific type of bacteria that often increases your chances of developing ulcers. This is in addition to the other digestive benefits of this tea, such as stimulating digestion and soothing symptoms of constipation.
Heart Health
While too much caffeine can be dangerous for the heart, the antioxidants found in this tea can also help to protect the integrity of the blood vessels and arteries in the cardiovascular system, thus lowering your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and atherosclerosis.
How to Make Darjeeling Tea?
Brewing your own Darjeeling tea at home is surprisingly easy, but your preparation will differ if you are making white, green or oolong varieties of this tea. The following preparation is for classic black Darjeeling tea. White, green, and oolong varieties will be steeped for different lengths of time for optimal flavor and health effects.
Step 1 – Add 1 teaspoon of whole dried leaves to a teapot.
Step 2 – Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a saucepan.
Step 3 – Add hot water to the teapot.
Step 4 – Allow the mixture to steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you want the tea.
Step 5 – Strain the tea and serve hot. Add lemon, if desired.