How does tea work?
Caffeine, Tea Polyphenols, Theaflavins and Thearubigins – that's what you're drinking.
When you drink a black tea, what are you actually drinking？It depends on how much of the dry matter contents have dissolved in the water. So, what are these main solutes?
- Caffeine
- Tea polyphenols
- Theaflavins and Thearubigins
Caffeine helps you to focus and maintain concentration, normally, black tea has a higher caffeine content than other teas, if you want to be highly engaged in your work, you may need a cup of black tea.
'Tea polyphenols' is a comprehensive category that includes a wide range of compounds. It’s an antioxidant; some studies show that it could inhibit atherogenesis (the buildup of plaque inside arteries), help with prevention of cancer and with anti-aging.
During fermentation, Catechin (one of the polyphenols) is oxidized to form the Theaflavins and further to form Thearubigins which make the infusion color and infused leaf red. Theaflavins were found to reduce blood cholesterol levels and regulate cancer cell growth. They can also relieve the symptoms of diabetes – obviously, having a cup of black tea after a meal is a wise choice.
Last but not least, most of us love to drink tea simply because it tastes good.
Tags: All About Tea
