Among teas that are derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, white tea is the most delicate one yet. Its name comes from the pale appearance of the fine silvery hairs that are found on the Camellia sinensis’ unopened leaf buds. These buds are minimally processed, without extensive oxidation, making white tea taste fresher than its cousins, including green and black tea. Instead, white tea makers allow the buds to wither for about a couple of days before they are exposed to low heat. Thus, white tea retains more antioxidants than its counterparts, allowing its drinkers to enjoy the best that the Camellia sinensis has to offer.
Read on to find out why you should start stocking up on white tea today!
Lowers The Odds Of Cardiovascular Disease
Approximately 16 people die from heart disease in Singapore every single day, but you can protect your heart with white tea. Studies indicate that people who drink white tea on a regular basis are at least 20% less likely to suffer from heart disease. This is due to antioxidants found in all Camellia sinensis teas, known as polyphenols, that may support heart function by relaxing blood vessels, reducing the effort with which the heart has to pump blood. White tea is so rich in polyphenols, more than either green tea or black tea, that it is that may be more potent as a means of safeguarding your heart from cardiovascular disease.
May Prevent Cancer
White tea may also be able to prevent cancer, the leading cause of death worldwide. Using white tea extract, researchers found that white tea is able to trigger cell death in more than one type of lung cancer as well as colon cancer. This suppresses malignant cancer cell growth, thus halting its spread. Moreover, its high antioxidant content also prevents damage in normal, unaffected cells by harmful molecules. It isn’t entirely known whether drinking white tea may be quite as effective, but these are promising findings, given the elusiveness of the cure for cancer.
Keeps Your Skin Clear From Acne
The antioxidants in white tea may also be able to help improve your skin health by eliminating free radicals that may cause acne breakouts. If you’ve ever suffered from acne, you might have also struggled with acne scars that hurt your confidence and self-esteem. Help yourself by preventing any of these from worsening by adding white tea to your regular diet. Drinking tea may aid in flushing out harmful free radicals, thus clearing the system of these toxins. You may also consider applying white tea directly onto your skin. Start by boiling a couple of white tea bags, before allowing the tea to cool in the refrigerator. Once they’ve been cooled, apply a small amount of white tea onto the affected areas after cleansing your skin. As always, please make sure that you test this on a small patch of skin beforehand.
Prevents Premature Skin Ageing
White tea may also be able to stall ageing in your skin in two ways. One of them involves combating the harmful effects of free radicals, partly from ultraviolet rays of the sun. Left unchecked, these uncharged molecules can also damage the collagen and elastin layers that make up the structural support of your skin. By eliminating them, white tea may then be able to help your skin retain its natural elasticity and suppleness. Research has also found that white tea may also inhibit a couple of enzymes that can contribute to skin ageing, elastase and collagenase. This prevents them from destroying these key structural layers of your skin.
Moreover, compared to other true teas, white tea is the best for hydration, crucial for keeping your skin firm, since its diuretic effects aren’t quite as powerful. This is the perfect beverage for anyone who isn’t quite fond of drinking water, keeping you well-hydrated throughout the day.
Promotes Growth Of Thick, Healthy Hair
Do your treasured tresses lack shine, volume, and lustre? A daily cup of white tea might just do the trick. Besides damaging your skin, ultraviolet rays from the sun can also destroy the cellular structure of your hair as a result of harmful free radicals. Antioxidants that are found in white tea can mitigate this, thus safeguarding and restoring your hair’s natural shine. Moreover, white tea also contains an antioxidant known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which may be able to reduce premature hair loss and enhance hair growth.
Get Only High Quality, Organic White Tea
To get the best out of your daily cup of white tea, consider purchasing only the highest quality, organically produced ones. This matters because only the best contain enough antioxidants to really make a difference. Do also ensure that you steer away from boiling the tea bags in boiling water. Instead, once the water has been brought to boil in the kettle, allow it to cool for at least five minutes before pouring it into your teacup.