Black Tea: Health Benefits, Nutrition and Uses

A lot of people ask… how much caffeine is in tea? Well, generally, organic black tea has 20mg. A cup of coffee has approximately 40mg. With that said, black tea tends to release energy more slowly, which is thought to allow you to focus for longer.

Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidised than its counterparts (such as green tea). It’s also one which has the most distinct and stronger flavours, and contains a whole variety of health benefits, from improving your gut to lowering your cholesterol as well.

We’ve created the ultimate guide to organic black tea, so you can get to know all the ins and outs, and understand why this beverage is one of the most popular drinks on the planet. 

Types of Organic Black Tea 

There are so many different varieties and blends of black tea, due to the number of different countries and climates it's grown in. Generally, there are 4 types of black tea that are the most popular:

1. Assam

This is grown in India in the Assam region, the largest tea-growing region in the world. It's known for its bold taste, and generally has milk and sugar added to it.

2. Darjeeling

This is again grown in India but in the mountainous regions. It's a more herbaceous tea and is often used for chai tea, Indians' favourite spiced drink. 

3. Ceylon

This type of tea is grown in Sri Lanka, and is one of the country's main exports. This black tea is known to be strong with a hint of spice

4. Kenyan

This type is known for its full-bodied black tea. In terms of production, Kenya is new to the game, having only started making tea in the early 1900s. It's still very popular, with a distinct full-bodied taste. 

The Nutritional Value Of Organic Black Tea

It’s generally considered best to consume black tea with just water. That way you get the most health benefits. It's great to give you energy and give your metabolism a bit of a boost. And of course, every black tea is different but as a rule of thumb the general nutritional value for 1 cup of black tea is:

• Calories: 2.4
• Carbohydrates: 0.4 grams
• Fibre: 0.1
• Proteins: 0.1 Grams
• Fat: 0

So as you can see, it is a beverage to drink regularly. But wait, there are a lot more benefits!

The Top 5 Health Benefits Of Organic Black Tea 

1. Antioxidants

As we all know, antioxidants provide so many different health benefits and black tea is full of them. They can reduce the risk of disease including chronic illnesses. Organic black tea also contains polyphenols, which are known to improve your body's well-being.

2. May improve gut health

We all hear it more and more. Gut health is so important when it comes to your health. It affects both your physical and mental health, and cannot be underestimated. A healthy gut actually makes up roughly 75% of your immune system. Black tea is known to have polyphenols that inhibit the growth of bad bacteria, therefore making sure your gut stays at its best! Happy gut = happy life, after all!

3. May lower your blood sugar

If you have a high blood sugar level, it can lead to a lot of different health complications. This includes anything from kidney failure, diabetes and even depression. Organic black tea is perfect to counteract this as studies suggest compounds in black tea may improve your insulin levels. Just be careful about adding too many spoonfuls of sugar! It doesn’t always help the medicine go down. 

4. Can help with your focus

Find it hard to concentrate? Well, it’s time to brew yourself a cuppa, because black tea contains caffeine that’s thought to improve your productivity. Studies show that black tea not only contains a compound called L-Theanine that’s thought to have a positive impact on your ability to focus, but it may also release more stable energy than coffee. In other words, it can be a better and healthier way to get your caffeine fix. 

5. May lower bad cholesterol

Having high cholesterol can lead to a lot of health issues in later life, such as heart failure or even a stroke. The good news is that studies show that by consuming organic black tea regularly you can potentially even reduce your ‘bad’ cholesterol.

How To Prepare Organic Black Tea 

The important thing to bear in mind is that every black tea is different, so it's best to read the package or speak to the seller to find out the preferred method, such as brewing temperature. With that said, there are general tips that are universal for brewing black tea. Here are a few of our favourites.

• Always use fresh, cold water. Preferably filtered or spring if it's within your budget. You will notice a big difference!

• Brew for longer. If you are used to making green tea then you may be surprised to know black tea needs to be brewed a fair bit longer, generally between 4/5 minutes.

• Cover your black tea while it steeps to keep the heat in. Be careful you don't forget it though, the longer you steep it the more the bitterness gets released. It's best to have a quick taste test before letting it brew longer. 

To Sum Up 

So there you have it. The ultimate guide to organic black tea. As you can see, it truly is a remarkable drink which is why it’s one of the most popular beverages in the world. Just go easy on the sugar and cream (plant-based of course) and make sure you enjoy one of life's little luxuries whenever you get the chance. After all, it’s appreciating the small things that make life worth living. 

Now, go and stick the kettle on!