Everyone in the world loves tea. We use the leaves of Cannabis sinensis plants to make green and black tea. Black tea has burned, but green tea has not. We first roll the leaves and then expose them to the air to initiate the rusting process. This process turns the leaves dark brown, which also makes the flavors stronger.
Conversely, green tea undergoes preparation to prevent spoilage, making it significantly lighter than black tea. This article looks at the studies on black and green tea to see which one is healthier.
Benefits of green tea vs. black tea
Green tea and black tea are not the same, but they may both be good for you in some ways.
Boost brain function
Both green and black tea contain caffeine, a well-known stimulant.
There is about 35 mg of caffeine in an 8-ounce (230 ml) cup of green tea, compared to 39–109 mg in the same amount of black tea.
Caffeine awakens your nervous system by inhibiting the neurotransmitter adenosine. In addition, it helps chemicals like dopamine and serotonin get into the brain.
Because of this, caffeine can improve your happiness, vigilance, reaction time, and ability to remember things quickly. Green and black tea also contain the amino acid L-theanine, but coffee does not.
L-theanine is believed to be able to cross the blood-brain barrier and trigger the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain chemical that slows down nerve signals. This makes you feel calm but awake.
At the same time, it encourages the release of serotonin and dopamine, which are chemicals that make you feel good.
L-theanine is believed to counterbalance the effects of coffee. People who took L-theanine and caffeine together had better attention than those who took either one alone, which suggests that the two may even work better together. There is a little more L-theanine in green tea than in black tea, but the amounts can be very different.
If you want to improve your mood without getting antsy like coffee does, both green and black tea are great options.
Protect your heart
Flavonoids, a particular subclass of polyphenols, make up their composition.
However, they differ in the type and quantity of flavonoids they contain. Green tea, for instance, is significantly higher in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) content, while black tea is an excellent source of theaflavins.
It is believed that the flavonoids in black and green tea safeguard the heart.
Researchers found that both green and black tea were equally effective at preventing the formation of blood vessel plaque in animals, with a 26% reduction at the lowest dose and a 68% reduction at the maximum dose.
The study also found that both types of tea reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.
In addition, two meta-analyses that examined more than ten high-quality studies each concluded that consuming black and green tea can reduce blood pressure.
In addition, a separate analysis of green tea research revealed that individuals who consumed 1–3 cups of green tea daily had a 36% and 19% reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, respectively, in comparison to those who consumed less than 1 cup of green tea daily.
Likewise, consuming a minimum of three glasses of black tea per day may decrease the likelihood of developing heart disease by 11%.
Green tea is rich in the antioxidant EGCG
Green tea contains an abundant supply of the potent antioxidant epigallocatechin-3-gallate.
Despite the presence of additional polyphenols like gallic acid and catechin, EGCG is considered the most potent and is likely responsible for a significant portion of the health benefits associated with green tea.
The following are some potential benefits of the EGCG in green tea:
- Cancer: Test tube research has demonstrated that the EGCG present in green tea can induce cancer cell death and inhibit the multiplication of cancer cells.
- The Alzheimer’s disease: EGCG may mitigate the deleterious effects of Alzheimer’s disease patients’ amyloid plaque accumulation.
- Anti-fatigue: In contrast to rodents that consumed water, those that consumed an EGCG-containing beverage exhibited longer swimming times before exhaustion, according to one study.
- Liver safeguarding: Rodents fed a high-fat diet have demonstrated that EGCG inhibits the development of fatty liver.
- Anti-microbial: This antioxidant has the potential to cause harm to the cell walls of bacteria and may even inhibit the spread of certain viruses.
- Calming: It may induce a tranquil effect throughout the body by interacting with brain receptors.
Despite the fact that the majority of research on the EGCG in green tea has been conducted on animals or in test tubes, the results lend credence to the long-reported health benefits of green tea consumption.
Black tea contains beneficial theaflavins
Theaflavins are a specific category of polyphenols found exclusively in black tea.
They form through oxidation and account for 3–6% of the polyphenols in black tea.
Because of their antioxidant properties, theaflavins have numerous health benefits.
Free radicals can harm fat cells, and polyphenols can potentially enhance your body’s innate antioxidant synthesis.
Additionally, they could safeguard your heart and blood vessels.
An animal study demonstrated that theaflavins reduce the risk of plaque buildup in blood vessels by reducing inflammation and enhancing the presence of nitric oxide, which aids in blood vessel dilation.
Theaflavins have demonstrated a considerable ability to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
They may also stimulate fat metabolism and have been suggested as a possible support for managing obesity.
The theaflavins found in black tea may possess an equivalent antioxidant capability to the polyphenols present in green tea.
Which one should you choose to drink?
Green and black tea have comparable advantages.
Although they have different polyphenol compositions, they may nonetheless provide similar positive effects on blood vessel function.
Green tea is generally believed to have more potent antioxidant characteristics than black tea, yet a specific study showed that both types of tea have equally efficient antioxidant capacity.
Green tea is a preferable option for individuals who are sensitive to caffeine due to its lower caffeine content compared to black tea. Green tea also has a higher concentration of L-theanine, an amino acid known for its soothing properties and ability to counteract the stimulating effects of caffeine.
If you seek a moderate caffeine increase that is less potent than coffee, black tea may be a suitable choice for you.
Remember that both black and green tea have tannins that can bind to minerals and decrease their absorption. Therefore, it is ideal to consume tea between meals.
The bottom line
Green and black tea offer comparable health advantages, particularly for cardiovascular and cognitive health.
According to the research, green tea may have higher levels of potent antioxidants, but there is no clear preference for one tea over the other.
Both contain the stimulant caffeine and L-theanine, which has a relaxing effect. Both are excellent supplements for your diet.
