Tea is a part of our daily routine that has a centuries-old history that spans back to 2727 BC when the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was the first person to stumble upon this miraculously stimulating drink.
Still, in these times, tea is a crucial part of our daily lives giving us the needed break and boost in our hectic schedules. What can be the reason why tea is an important beverage in our lives? Why do we depend on this simple beverage a lot?
This is because tea has properties similar to coffee, giving you increased energy and attention levels. This article examines the subject of drinking tea for energy: things you should know in detail. So with a cup of your favorite tea, read the article to learn more!
How Does Tea Boost Your Energy?
Certain active compounds in tea help with energy-boosting. They are usually called stimulants as the name suggests it has stimulating effects on your brain. The four main stimulants found in tea are:
- Caffeine
- Theophylline
- Theobromine
- L-Theanine
Now let us discuss in detail these stimulants and how they generally help to boost your energy levels.
- Caffeine
According to a study published in Neuroscience & Behavioral Reviews, caffeine is one of the most consumed stimulants in the world and around 80% of adults use this compound for energy-boosting needs. And the biggest source of caffeine is coffee, not tea. Tea has only a moderate amount of caffeine in it.
Termed as a central nervous system stimulant, this active compound increases the activity of your brain and nervous system. There are various theories on how caffeine improves your energy levels. One such theory suggests that caffeine prevents an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine which creates sleep pressure in your brain.
- Theophylline
Belonging to a class of organic compounds called xanthines, both theophylline and theobromine are related to caffeine. Theophylline helps to relax your smooth muscles and supports your breathing capacity. It also stimulates the rate of heart contractions.
- Theobromine
Most prominently found in cocoa beans, theobromine improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. It also mildly stimulates your heart contractions.
- L-Theanine
A psychoactive amino acid found in tea plants, l-theanine has been shown to increase alpha waves in the brain. It also positively affects the production of certain neurotransmitters such as dopamine and GABA.
Health Benefits Of Drinking Tea For Energy
There are multiple health benefits associated with drinking tea for energy. Some of these benefits are described below:
- Supports healthy blood pressure levels– As per research published in the Journal of Hypertension, tea has certain flavonoids that can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
- Improved immune performance– Studies have shown that teas are abundant with anti-inflammatory compounds that support your immune system. Also, the polyphenols such as EGCG and theaflavin can boost your immunity.
- Reduced risk of cancer- A study published in Advances in Nutrition has explained that consumption of tea may be effective against certain types of cancers. This is due to the presence of polyphenols, a kind of antioxidants in tea that can fight free radical damage that causes cancer.
- Increased sleep quality– Some kinds of tea such as chamomile are widely used to promote sleep quality as it can alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety and bring you to a state of calm and peace.
- Enhanced focus and concentration– Drinking tea for energy can also increase your focus and mental alertness. L-theanine, an active compound found in green tea has been shown to increase attention and working memory.
The Best Teas For Energy
In this section, we will detail some of the best teas for energy.
- Green Tea- Known as a gentle and effective energy booster, green tea is one of the best teas for energy. It has small amounts of caffeine that can elevate your energy levels. Green tea also contains l-theanine, an amino acid that stimulates the production of mood-enhancing brain chemicals called GABA.
- Black Tea– Black tea is an ideal option to increase your energy levels without overloading your body with caffeine. According to a study published in the International Journal of Health Sciences, the molecular evidence of black tea being a healthy beverage for energy improvement and other various benefits was discussed. Like green tea, it also has a fair share of l-theanine, which induces positive brain chemicals.
- Peppermint Tea– As this tea is naturally free from caffeine, it can be a healthy option to elevate your energy levels. Usually, peppermint tea is taken as a post-meal to improve digestion. It has menthol, an active compound that has been shown to improve mental alertness.
- Ginger Tea– There is ample evidence that shows that ginger tea can regulate your blood sugar levels. By keeping your blood sugar levels at an optimum and balanced level, it can boost your energy levels. It has also been shown to recover muscle strength after an intense exercise session.
- Hibiscus Tea- Having a great source of iron, hibiscus tea supports your immune system and boosts your energy levels. It has no caffeine and is an ideal choice for increasing your energy. Abundant with antioxidants, hibiscus tea can balance your blood sugar and blood pressure levels as well.
- Ashwagandha Tea– An adaptogenic herb, the Ashwagandha tea made from the plant can improve your energy levels. It can sharpen your brain functions and enhance your focus. Research published by NIH explained how this plant can heighten your mental clarity, enhance sleep quality, and elevate energy levels.
- Ginseng Tea– Ginseng, especially Korean Ginseng has been shown to alleviate fatigue and increase energy levels. Even though it doesn’t have caffeine, it has been shown to amplify the effects of caffeine on the human body. Ginseng tea can help to enhance your energy levels and improve mental alertness.
Things To Consider Before Drinking Tea
Drinking tea has multiple benefits but there are certain things you should consider before drinking tea. One important thing to note is the time when you usually drink tea. Experts recommend avoiding drinking tea and coffee first thing in the morning.
The caffeine in both beverages can induce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach which can cause gastric irritations. So it is ideal to drink tea one hour after your breakfast or lunch or in the evening with some healthy snacks. Also, care should be applied to the quantity of tea you consume daily.
Experts suggest that taking 3-4 cups of tea daily is ideal and not to exceed more than 4 cups a day. And if you are adding sugar to your teas, it is ideal to cut down the amount of teas consumed to 1-2 cups per day. Drinking tea daily is healthy if the amount consumed is at ideal levels.
The caffeine in tea can be dangerous for heart patients and diabetics, so those people who have heart issues and high blood sugar levels need to avoid drinking tea. Also, women who are pregnant need to restrict their caffeine consumption.
This applies to also those people who have acid reflux as increased tea consumption might complicate digestive issues. Also, those people who have vitamin B1 or iron deficiency need to cut down the intake of certain teas as tannins in teas have been shown to prevent the absorption of vitamin B1 and iron by your body.
Conclusion
Tea is an ideal beverage that can healthily increase energy levels. It has four main stimulants, caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, and l-theanine which give the beverage energy-boosting properties.
Tea doesn’t have much caffeine content compared to coffee. All these stimulants work by stimulating certain neurotransmitters in the brain that help you attain an increased state of mental alertness and energy. Drinking tea has also other health benefits such as controlling blood pressure, improving immunity, inducing sleep, etc.
Some of the best teas for increasing energy include ashwagandha tea, ginseng tea, green tea, black tea, etc. It should be ideal to restrict tea consumption to less than 4 cups a day and drinking tea first thing in the morning is not good for health.
FAQs
The best tea for energy is black tea as one cup of black tea contains half as much caffeine included in a cup of coffee.
Yes. Drinking 3-4 cups of green tea can alleviate symptoms of fatigue and tiredness.
Black tea has the highest amounts of caffeine as it has 64-112 mg of caffeine per 8 fluid ounces of serving of black tea.
Some kinds of tea can be beneficial in inducing sleep such as chamomile so drinking it at night is good. But teas with higher amounts of caffeine should be avoided before sleep.
While black tea can give you a quick rush of energy due to its highest caffeine content, green tea can make you more alert.
Having higher caffeine content, coffee can give you a quick rush of energy compared to tea. But tea offers a slow and steady energy due to the presence of l-theanine that keeps you alert for longer periods.
