Which Teas Have the Most Antioxidants?
Tea is one of the healthiest drinks available, which is wonderful news for tea lovers. White, green, black and oolong teas all come from the same plant called camellia senesis. This means that you get very similar benefits regardless of the type of tea you drink. The differences come from the way the teas are processed and oxidized.
Let’s take a more in depth look at which teas have the most antioxidants.
Antioxidant Levels in Black, Green, White & Oolong Teas
Black Tea
Black tea is fully oxidized. During the process of oxidation, flavonoids called catechins are converted into tannins. The tannins are responsible for giving the tea its dark color.
Even though black tea is more oxidized than other varieties, it still has a similar amount of antioxidants as it did before it was oxidized. Research suggests that drinking three or more cups a day may decrease the risk of heart attack, and drinking 4-5 cups may promote blood vessel relaxation.
Green Tea
Green tea is made from more mature leaves that are not fermented or oxidized. Most of the flavonoids in green tea are catechins, and one in particular is believed to be responsible for most of the health benefits in green tea. Green tea also contains a lot of polyphenols and has a lower caffeine content than black tea.
White Tea
White tea is very similar to green tea because it is made in the same way. The difference is that only the buds and young leaves of the plant are used. They are then dried in natural sunlight, which results in higher catechin levels but lower tannins levels. It’s believed that white tea has similar cardiovascular benefits as both black and green teas.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea only goes through a short period of fermentation. These teas are said to have more polyphenols and a similar caffeine content to green and black teas, although slightly less.
Which Tea is the Best?
There really is no “best” tea with the most antioxidants. There are different types and amounts of antioxidants in the various teas, but their effects on the body are largely the same. No matter which type of tea you drink, you’re getting antioxidants like catechins and tannins that reduce the risk of cancer, improve the skin, enhance the immune system and promote good cardiovascular health. What you may want to consider instead is how much caffeine you want from the tea and your own personal taste preferences.
The Antioxidant Levels in Black, Green & White Tea
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Black, green and white tea all originate from the Camellia senensis plant. Their differences come from the methods by which they are processed. The flavonoids found in tea, specifically catechins and tannins, have strong antioxidant properties. There is mounting evidence that suggests that antioxidant-rich foods play a role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, in the case of tea flavonoids, there is disagreement as to whether their major health benefits are related to antioxidant or other biological effects.
Black Tea
The major difference between black tea and others is that it is fully oxidized. During the process of oxidation, catechins are converted into tannins, which are responsible for the color of black tea. Although the antioxidant composition of black tea differs from other less oxidized varieties, total antioxidant content after the oxidation process is similar to what it was before. According to the Linus Pauling Institute’s Micronutrient Information Center, the available research suggests that consumption of at least three cups per day of black tea may decrease the risk of heart attack, while the consumption of at least four to five cups per day may promote blood vessel relaxation in those with coronary artery disease or high cholesterol.
Green tea is made from mature tea leaves that undergo multiple stages of firing/steaming and drying but are not fermented or oxidized. Therefore, most of the antioxidants in green tea are catechins. One catechin in particular, epigallocatechin, can be found in high concentrations in green tea and has been singled out as the key contributive element to the possible health effects of green tea. In a large Japanese study conducted in 2006, when compared to those drinking less than one cup per day, daily consumption of five or more cups of green tea was correlated with a 16 percent reduction in all-cause mortality and a 26 percent reduction in mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
White Tea
White tea is made similarly to green tea; however, only the buds and young leaves of the tea plant are used. They are dried in natural sunlight and are not fired or steamed. This processing method translates to higher catechin levels than green and black tea but lower tannin levels. Few human studies have examined the health benefits of white tea related to antioxidant content. However, because the total antioxidant content of white tea is similar to that of green and black tea, it is possible that the cardiovascular benefits of white tea are comparable to those of green and black tea.
Health Considerations
Adding milk to tea does not inhibit the body's ability to utilize the antioxidants in brewed tea, as has been suggested. However, many factors, including tea brand, brewing time, age of tea leaves and soil content, do affect the antioxidant content of a cup of tea. Furthermore, it is difficult to determine how much the health benefits of tea flavonoids can be attributed solely to their antioxidant activity. Although it was once thought that the antioxidant activity of the tea flavonoids may also decrease the risk of many cancers and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, scientists now believe that it is the ability of tea flavonoids to control gene expression that may prevent such diseases. Finally, tea flavonoids can bind with non-heme iron — the main form found in plants, dairy products and most nutritional supplements — and reduce its absorption. Therefore, it is best to drink tea well before or after a meal if you are concerned with iron absorption.
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