Most people only think iced tea is only a refreshing beverage. That’s far from the truth. Iced tea could also help you to overcome drinking soft drinks addiction, which wears out your cavities!
That’s just the tip of the iceberg; there are many untold health benefits of iced tea based on its ingredients that you’ll know today.
For example, iced tea maintains your heart health, lowers high blood pressure, boosts the immune system, aids in weight loss, lowers stress, fights cardiovascular disease, and regulates blood sugar levels. Also, iced tea is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and minerals essential for your body.
Be grateful that you bumped on this article. It will discuss the health benefits of this summertime treat, its side effects, and more.
Let’s dive right in.
What Is Iced Tea?
Iced tea is any chilled tea or one served with ice. Usually, iced types of tea can be green, black, white, or oolong tea. Some people use oranges, lemons, passionfruit, cherry, or peaches to make flavored syrup for adding to the iced tea.
According to Science, Richard Blechynden invented iced tea. Its popularity grew when, in 1904, Richard added ice to hot tea samples during the World’s Fair in St. Louis in the South of the United States.
The late Mr. Richard was India’s Tea Commissioner and Director of the East India Pavilion. Richard had offered complimentary hot tea to those at the fair, but they were hesitant to take it due to hot temperatures.
According to the history of iced tea, Richard and his team resorted to serving people chilled tea using iced lead pipes. People loved the tea, and soon, it became a refreshing summer drink in the United States of America (USA) and replaced fruit juices in most homes.
Health Benefits of Iced Tea
Based on how you prepare it, you may benefit from the fantastic health benefits of iced tea after a couple of weeks.
Whether you love it sweetened or unsweetened, you should still benefit. Even so, unsweetened iced tea or lemon iced tea could be better as added sugars and natural sugars aren’t safe, especially when taken in large amounts.
Unsweetened green tea consumption is also a healthier alternative. Below, I’ll discuss the health benefits of iced tea – all varieties.
Hydrates the Body
During hot days, your body loses more water due to sweating. Hence, you should take more liquids to keep you hydrated.
Since hot beverages are unpleasant due to high temperatures, cold beverages are the best. The main ingredient of iced tea is water. Hence, iced tea is a great source of hydration.
Lowers Stress
After taking tea for 6 weeks, research shows that post-stress levels lowered, and people experienced better relaxation than after taking a placebo.
So, when you take iced tea, you refresh your body while lowering stress levels. However, if iced black tea is your favorite option, take in small amounts, as caffeinated beverages could also increase stress levels.
Therefore, decaffeinated tea is a great option.
Boosts Your Antioxidants
Black tea (BT) and green tea (GT) contain antioxidants. These antioxidants are responsible for lowering the occurrence of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Therefore, when you take it, it lowers cell damage and removes free radicals in your body. Hence, taking iced tea in moderation and preparing it using healthy ingredients can help lower some chronic diseases. This could further lower risk of death.
Protects the Teeth
Taking energy drinks or soft drinks such as sodas causes the teeth’ enamel to decay. Sadly, during hot days, people often resort to iced soft or energy drinks. As a result, people get addicted to these dangerous drinks and risk losing their teeth.
Unsweetened iced tea protects you from tooth loss. Besides, tea changes the mouth’s PH, thereby preventing cavities.
Since tea also contains vitamin fluoride, it aids in the strengthening of the tooth enamel and the prevention of tooth decay.
If you use green leaves to prepare iced tea, oral bacteria also decreases, and your overall oral health improves.
Promotes Weight Loss
Taking fluids always aids in weight loss as they leave you full. As a result, you eat less, which could be essential in lowering the intake of foods rich in calories, LDL cholesterol, and sugars, among others, thereby boosting your overall health.
Hence, based on how much tea you have taken daily, iced tea could help you lose a few pounds in 4 weeks.
However, according to research, green varieties of tea have proven to help in weight loss, but the amount of weight loss wasn’t so significant. That means cups of green tea could be ideal for people who want to lose a small amount of weight.
Nevertheless, sweetened tea won’t help you lose weight as it is high in calories. Sugar won’t help you lose weight; you’ll gain it! Hence, only take unsweetened tea.
Excellent Source of Manganese
The black iced tea variety contains high manganese (Mn) levels. Therefore, black iced tea has been proven to be a great source of dietary manganese.
Manganese is essential in forming bones, sex hormones, connective tissues, and blood clotting factors. Also, manganese is essential in boosting your brain health and calcium absorption, regulates blood sugar levels, and facilitates carbohydrates and fat metabolisms.
There are about 520 micrograms of Mn in an 8-ounce serving of unsweetened iced tea. This gives the recommended daily manganese intake for women and men: 35 and 23 percent, respectively.
However, since iced tea has high manganese levels, you should always take it in moderation.
Is It Good to Drink Cold Iced Tea?
Yes, it is good to drink iced tea during warmer months instead of a cup of hot tea. The method and temperatures used to brew tea never lower the nutritional value.
So, the same amount of antioxidants, flavonoids, and catechins, among other health properties found in hot tea, are also found in iced tea.
Parting Shot
Aside from cooling your body in the summer months, there are other excellent health benefits of iced tea that have made it the most popular beverage since 1904.
Some of these benefits are lowering the risk of heart disease, reducing stress levels, boosting antioxidant levels, preventing heart attack and dehydration, and protecting your teeth. Moreover, iced tea also contains anti-inflammatory properties, and unsweetened iced tea may help lower the risk of diabetes.
These health benefits could vary based on the variety of the iced tea you’re taking.
Even so, taking too much-iced tea is dangerous. Therefore, only take a few cups in a week. However, added sugar is unhealthy. Hence, make unsweetened iced tea instead of sweetened one to avoid adding calories to your body and exposing your teeth to decay.
Never take any type of tea before asking your doctor if it will have any adverse effects on your health.
