What Is the Difference Between Green Tea and Black Tea?
Did you know that people worldwide consume three billion cups of tea every day? This is not surprising since tea not only tastes good, but also offers many benefits. However, given the wide selection of options on the market, finding the right tea to buy can be challenging.
If you want a recommendation, green tea and black tea are great options. These teas are among the most popular, and you can never go wrong with either choice. Read on to learn more about how these teas differ, their health benefits, and where you can purchase the best black tea and best green tea.
Distinguishing Green Tea From Black Tea
Black tea is currently the most consumed tea in the United States, while green tea comes in second place. However, what makes a consumer choose one tea over the other? Here are the main distinctions between green tea and black tea that influence consumer choice.
Processing and Preparation
Both green tea and black tea are made from the leaves and buds of Camellia sinensis plants. However, they are processed differently. After being harvested, green tea leaves are immediately heated up, thus preventing oxidation. In contrast, oxidation is facilitated in black tea processing when the leaves are left exposed to the air after harvest and are only subjected to heat later on.
After being processed, the teas are ready for consumption. Green tea is typically consumed without any add-ons. Occasionally, a hint of lemon zest is squeezed in for some contrast. Black tea is prepared differently. Often milk, honey, or sugar are added for a richer flavor.
Flavor and Color
Regarding flavor, the procedures of how the teas are made impact their taste. Due to less oxidation, green tea provides a more natural taste. It is also lighter and less bitter. In contrast, black tea has a stronger and darker flavor because of oxidation.
Aside from flavor, color is an obvious difference between the two teas. The best green tea preserves its natural green color since its tea leaves are exposed to air less. Meanwhile, the best black tea gets its darker shade from the fermentation process it undergoes.
Caffeine Levels
Caffeine levels are something consumers often look at when choosing a beverage. One cup of green tea contains around thirty milligrams of caffeine. In contrast, a single cup of black tea yields up to fifty milligrams. However, both of these teas have less than an average coffee cup, which has around a hundred milligrams of caffeine.
Health Benefits of Green and Black Tea
While there are differences between green tea and black tea, both beverages share an extensive array of health benefits.
Enhances Brain Function
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that heightens alertness, reaction time, and concentration by blocking out your body’s inhibitory neurotransmitter. Consumption of moderate amounts of this stimulant is thus beneficial in boosting cognition. Green tea and black tea contain just enough caffeine to produce these positive effects.
Moreover, the caffeine found in these teas contains L-theanine, which is an amino acid that helps moderate mood and keeps you relaxed. It also facilitates the production of dopamine and serotonin, which are hormones that promote mental rejuvenation.
Black and green teas are better than alternative beverages like coffee, especially since the latter lacks L-theanine and contains more caffeine that can cause problems like faster heart rate.
Improves Heart Health
Speaking of heart, both black and green teas are proven to improve cardiovascular health. People who regularly drink either tea are around 20% less likely to suffer from a heart attack. Moreover, the chances of stroke are reduced by over 30%.
This is because green and black tea contains an abundance of antioxidants, particularly polyphenols. These antioxidants protect the heart and improve blood circulation. These substances also lower blood pressure and prevent obesity since they reduce bad cholesterol and triglyceride production.
Assists in Digestion and Protects Your Gut
Almost all the trillions of bacteria in your body live in your digestive tract, and some of them can cause gut issues. Drinking green and black tea can help you avoid these problems, and the polyphenols found in these teas promote good bacteria growth.
These microbes aid in digestion and prevent the build-up of noxious substances that can damage your gut. They can also improve your overall immunity and resistance to ailments like inflammatory bowel disease and type 2 diabetes. The antimicrobial properties in black tea are likewise capable of repairing damaged digestive tract linings.
Helps Prevent Cancer
Neither green nor black tea is medically proven as a viable cancer treatment. However, there are studies indicating that these beverages can at least prevent the formation or fast growth of certain types of cancer.
Regular tea drinking has been heavily suggested to reduce the risk of oral, gastrointestinal, ovarian, lung, breast, thyroid, and endometrial cancer. This is thanks to antioxidants like epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) found in green teas and theaflavins that are abundant in black teas.
Final Thoughts
Green tea and black tea diverge in certain areas like color, flavor, and caffeine levels. However, they are strikingly similar in terms of health benefits. From enhancing brain function to helping prevent the growth and spread of cancer, both delicious beverages are great for your body.
If you want the best green tea and best black tea on the market, Sencha Tea Bar is the place to find the very best tea to buy – place your order today!
Did you know that people worldwide consume three billion cups of tea every day? This is not surprising since tea not only tastes good, but also offers many benefits. However, given the wide selection of options on the market, finding the right tea to buy can be challenging.
If you want a recommendation, green tea and black tea are great options. These teas are among the most popular, and you can never go wrong with either choice. Read on to learn more about how these teas differ, their health benefits, and where you can purchase the best black tea and best green tea.
Distinguishing Green Tea From Black Tea
Black tea is currently the most consumed tea in the United States, while green tea comes in second place. However, what makes a consumer choose one tea over the other? Here are the main distinctions between green tea and black tea that influence consumer choice.
Processing and Preparation
Both green tea and black tea are made from the leaves and buds of Camellia sinensis plants. However, they are processed differently. After being harvested, green tea leaves are immediately heated up, thus preventing oxidation. In contrast, oxidation is facilitated in black tea processing when the leaves are left exposed to the air after harvest and are only subjected to heat later on.
After being processed, the teas are ready for consumption. Green tea is typically consumed without any add-ons. Occasionally, a hint of lemon zest is squeezed in for some contrast. Black tea is prepared differently. Often milk, honey, or sugar are added for a richer flavor.
Flavor and Color
Regarding flavor, the procedures of how the teas are made impact their taste. Due to less oxidation, green tea provides a more natural taste. It is also lighter and less bitter. In contrast, black tea has a stronger and darker flavor because of oxidation.
Aside from flavor, color is an obvious difference between the two teas. The best green tea preserves its natural green color since its tea leaves are exposed to air less. Meanwhile, the best black tea gets its darker shade from the fermentation process it undergoes.
Caffeine Levels
Caffeine levels are something consumers often look at when choosing a beverage. One cup of green tea contains around thirty milligrams of caffeine. In contrast, a single cup of black tea yields up to fifty milligrams. However, both of these teas have less than an average coffee cup, which has around a hundred milligrams of caffeine.
Health Benefits of Green and Black Tea
While there are differences between green tea and black tea, both beverages share an extensive array of health benefits.
Enhances Brain Function
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that heightens alertness, reaction time, and concentration by blocking out your body’s inhibitory neurotransmitter. Consumption of moderate amounts of this stimulant is thus beneficial in boosting cognition. Green tea and black tea contain just enough caffeine to produce these positive effects.
Moreover, the caffeine found in these teas contains L-theanine, which is an amino acid that helps moderate mood and keeps you relaxed. It also facilitates the production of dopamine and serotonin, which are hormones that promote mental rejuvenation.
Black and green teas are better than alternative beverages like coffee, especially since the latter lacks L-theanine and contains more caffeine that can cause problems like faster heart rate.
Improves Heart Health
Speaking of heart, both black and green teas are proven to improve cardiovascular health. People who regularly drink either tea are around 20% less likely to suffer from a heart attack. Moreover, the chances of stroke are reduced by over 30%.
This is because green and black tea contains an abundance of antioxidants, particularly polyphenols. These antioxidants protect the heart and improve blood circulation. These substances also lower blood pressure and prevent obesity since they reduce bad cholesterol and triglyceride production.
Assists in Digestion and Protects Your Gut
Almost all the trillions of bacteria in your body live in your digestive tract, and some of them can cause gut issues. Drinking green and black tea can help you avoid these problems, and the polyphenols found in these teas promote good bacteria growth.
These microbes aid in digestion and prevent the build-up of noxious substances that can damage your gut. They can also improve your overall immunity and resistance to ailments like inflammatory bowel disease and type 2 diabetes. The antimicrobial properties in black tea are likewise capable of repairing damaged digestive tract linings.
Helps Prevent Cancer
Neither green nor black tea is medically proven as a viable cancer treatment. However, there are studies indicating that these beverages can at least prevent the formation or fast growth of certain types of cancer.
Regular tea drinking has been heavily suggested to reduce the risk of oral, gastrointestinal, ovarian, lung, breast, thyroid, and endometrial cancer. This is thanks to antioxidants like epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) found in green teas and theaflavins that are abundant in black teas.
Final Thoughts
Green tea and black tea diverge in certain areas like color, flavor, and caffeine levels. However, they are strikingly similar in terms of health benefits. From enhancing brain function to helping prevent the growth and spread of cancer, both delicious beverages are great for your body.
If you want the best green tea and best black tea on the market, Sencha Tea Bar is the place to find the very best tea to buy – place your order today!