How to Make Anti-cancer Tea That’s Nutrient Rich

What exactly are tea polyphenols and can they combat disease and cancer? 

Tea is by far the most popular drink in the world. Tea is a social necessity in many places. Nothing is more freeing than nibbling on a freshly baked scone while sipping from your favorite tea cup. 

Tea culture might ignite the love of sugary and milk-topped tea but a bright spotlight also shines on the health benefits of tea. 

Tea caught the interest of scientists curious to know if anti-cancer tea is real. While there isn’t one cure-all for cancer with tea, it turns out tea has some pretty strong anti-cancer benefits. 

Did you know you can make your tea more nutrient-dense? — More on that later.

Right now, in the world of science, the biggest spotlight shines on tea polyphenols. What makes these antioxidants so special when it comes to cancer? Let’s dive in and find out!

What are Polyphenols?

Polyphenols are a type of antioxidant and chemical compound found in plants. Polyphenols are anti-inflammatory and they can protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson’s. The ones found in unsweetened tea are even anti-diabetic and help reduce blood sugar levels.

Polyphenols are found in foods like broccoli, grapes, cherries, flax seeds, nuts, herbs, spices, — and the list goes on! 

Tea is rich in polyphenols. Right now, it’s studied for its potential to combat cancer. But, it’s important you understand not all teas have the same tea polyphenols. 

Different Polyphenols in Different Teas

Every single tea might come from the same Camellia sinensis plant, but not all teas have the same nutrients — weird, right? 

The way the tea leaves are treated after harvest produces each unique flavor and texture. Depending on how you roast, steam, oxidize, or shape your leaves, you’ll get black, white, green, or oolong teas. These techniques also develop different polyphenols and health benefits for each tea. 

The polyphenols you find in black tea are different from the polyphenols found in green tea. Studies show that both have about the same number of tea polyphenols overall — but different types of polyphenols are found in each. The anti-cancer tea benefits from these polyphenols are also different. 

Fun fact — most studies focus on the benefits of green or black teas, but white tea might have the most polyphenols since it’s processed the least.

Polyphenols in Green Tea

Of all the polyphenols found in green tea, epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) is a catechin that’s studied the most. It’s the strongest of six catechins found in tea and studies show it may help combat the quick growth of cancer cells. It might also be chemo-protective, which means it may help you if you’re undergoing chemotherapy treatments. 

Polyphenols in Black Tea

The most studied black tea polyphenols are phytonutrients called theaflavins. These are found abundantly in black tea because they develop during the oxidation process when green tea turns into black tea. Theaflavins are powerful and may help break down the protective membrane of cancer cells and may help reduce or slow cancer cell growth.

Polyphenols in White Tea

White tea is an overlooked anti-cancer tea. The leaves are carefully selected and plucked by hand resulting in a higher quality and sometimes more expensive tea. 

White tea is minimally processed and the phytochemicals remain higher than all other teas — including green tea. Phytochemicals may be the source of tea’s health benefits.

Tea polyphenols and catechins remain higher in white tea on average. White tea was also measured at higher levels for EGCG than green tea. But, it’s important to note that the quality of the tea was a huge variable when it came to measuring beneficial compounds.

Tea Quality Matters

Not all tea is created equal. The tea you drink from a tea bag is not made with the same tea leaves as loose-leaf tea. If you want the benefits of anti-cancer tea nutrients, you have to drink tea processed for maximum nutrients. 

The “tea dust” in your tea bag can contain, branches, twigs, and tea leaves that are uprooted from the soil and pulverized. The result is not only a bitter and chalky tea but tea dust that may be poor in nutrient density. 

If you enjoy the convenience of tea bags, we recommend using tea sachets instead. They have loose-leaf teas inside and they’re made from 100% compostable materials that won’t pollute the earth. They also won’t release harmful microplastics, chemicals, or glue into your tea — it’s a big problem for conventional tea bags.  

Hand-plucked loose-leaf teas are the best kind of tea you can drink. The leaves are individually plucked and traditionally harvested, which helps elevate the flavor and maintains nutrients. With higher-quality tea leaves you’ll enjoy better flavor without the harmful microplastics that come from steeping tea bags. 

Tips for Making Healthier Tea

Healthier tea starts with good quality tea, fresh water, and nothing else. If you want to reap the most benefits of your tea, leave the sugar and the milk out of it. This means skipping the tea lattes and boba and steeping yourself a cup of pure tea. 

You can add herbs, citrus, or other antioxidant-rich spices to your tea. Milk and sugar can reduce the number of tea polyphenols and nutrients in your tea, rendering the health benefits almost useless.

If you want to bump up the nutrient levels of your tea and increase tea antioxidant levels, we have a whole blog about it. The experiments are fascinating, but your tea might not taste all that wonderful after steeping for an hour or two.

Our best advice? Drink whole-leaf loose-leaf teas and switch between them so you can enjoy the anti-cancer tea benefits of all of them. 

Green, white, and black teas have different levels of nutrients, catechins, and tea polyphenols. Drink the rainbow to get the greatest variety and the widest range of nutrients.

Healthy Tea Starts With Healthy Teaware

Healthy, nutrient-rich teas start with choosing a higher-quality loose-leaf tea. But, for healthy tea to remain nutrient-rich and pure, you need to use teaware that elevates tea purity. 

Teabloom’s mission is to clean up the tea industry one teacup at a time. Since day one, their teaware has been crafted with a revolutionary glass material that’s sustainable, eco-friendly, healthy, and chemical-free. It’s called borosilicate glass and it’s the best teaware to use for nutrient-rich tea polyphenols. 

Borosilicate glass is 100% chemical free and never leaches harmful chemicals or minerals into your tea unlike stoneware or traditional glazed teaware. With this teaware, all you get is pure tea flavor, nutrients, and nothing else. 

This healthy teaware is easy to clean, stain-free, odor-free, and flavor-free. It can be used for hot or iced beverages and even in the dishwasher, microwave, stovetop, or freezer. The best part is it’s affordable and blends seamlessly into your decor. 

Take the first step to healthier tea and choose teaware crafted for your health and wellness.

www.Teabloom.com

*The information provided in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention. If you or someone you know has a medical concern, you should consult with your professional healthcare provider or seek other professional medical treatment.