Tea is a well-known and popular beverage all over the world that has a massive selection of flavors available, and the possibilities for tea combinations and blends are endless. As time goes on, people find new ways to enjoy tea. Rather than just drinking it in a mug hot, it is also enjoyed cold with ice and milk turned into a latte.
Because of its popularity over the years, people have come up with conclusions on what tea to drink, what is healthy, the brewing process, and more. Over time, and with some research and studies are already done, we are now able to disprove all these statements with facts, and they are no longer just a myth. A myth is a fabrication of untrue stories or statements that affect us more than we realize. No matter how ridiculous the myth may seem, in one way or another, it does impact our thought process. If you have any thoughts or hear any myths about drinking tea, scroll down, and let's break it all down.
Decaffeinated teas are caffeine free.
A common misconception we hear or read is that decaffeinated teas have no caffeine in them. That statement is entirely false. Even though the label may say "decaf," there is still a small amount of caffeine in teas because they naturally have small traces of caffeine within them. The word "decaf" automatically makes us believe we aren’t consuming any caffeine. The way we can determine what teas to drink with absolutely no caffeine is by those that say caffeine free.
Caffeine in teas is from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The most common teas are created from this plant, such as oolong, white tea, green tea, and black tea. Some of the more well-known teas that have absolutely no coffee are ginger, chamomile, and peppermint.
Tea is dehydrating.
The notion that teas are dehydrating stems from coffee. Yes, some teas have a small amount of caffeine, but not all. The caffeine in coffee, when consumed in high volumes, can cause you to use the washroom slightly more frequently than usual. This leads to you losing more liquids than you are putting into your body, which causes dehydration. Drinking tea is very hydrating because tea is about 95% water, so you’re keeping yourself well hydrated. If you want to find out more ways to stay hydrated, check this out: 4-ways-to-stay-hydrated-in-uae. There are effects on your body only after there is an excess of caffeinated tea. There will be a diuretic effect. A diuretic is something that causes the production of urine by elevating the level of blood flow to our kidneys, causing the use of the bathroom to rise.
Teas all take the same time to brew.
The brewing process can be done in several different ways at different times. It all depends on your preferences in taste as well as the type of tea you’re brewing, loose leaf or bagged.
When it comes to using pre-packaged tea bags or loose-leaf tea, there is a difference in the overall results. With loose-leaf teas, it is recommended to steep the tea in a teapot, infuser, or filter. With loose leaves, when in contact with the hot water, they have more room to develop and allow the tea to be more substantial in flavor. As for pre-packaged tea bags, because of the broken tea leaves and the restrictive packaging, there isn't nearly as much flavor no matter how long you steep them. For the aspect of taste, the brewing times are up to each individual. When left for a short amount of time in hot water, your tea won't be as strong. However, the longer you leave your tea too steep, the stronger the taste you will have. But be careful when left for an excess of time you can be left with a bitter-tasting tea.
Adding anything to tea makes it unhealthy.
Contrary to what most people might believe, adding anything like honey, milk, or lemons does not make your tea unhealthy. There are lots of health benefits.
If you are looking to sweeten your tea but do not want to use white sugar, raw honey or stevia is a great alternative. Raw honey can provide more than just a sweet taste. When combined with hot tea, honey can soothe any inflammation or irritation from a cough, for example. Adding milk to your tea works on two different levels: it cools down your tea and cuts through the bitterness it might have. Adding milk to your tea aids the growth of your bones with calcium. If you’re looking for something to add to your tea for antioxidants or an overall immune boost, lemons are the way to go! The range of vitamins such as vitamin c and the low-calorie count is just a bonus to your health.
Drinking too much tea darkens your skin.
This has got to be one of the most outrageous statements ever made out loud. The idea is that a drink can alter your genetics. Our skin tone at the end of the day is set by our melanin. The way your skin pigment is either dark or light naturally is by the amount of melanin you produce. The more melanin, the darker your skin tone you will be. The only other way to achieve a darker skin tone would be from UV exposure and potential skin damage. Are there benefits for your skin from drinking tea? Certainly, there are. For example, after years of studies and research, we can safely say the benefits of certain drinking teas on your skin. For example,
Green tea can aid in reducing inflammation.
Yerba Mate keeps looking young
Black tea has been known to help slow down the skin's aging process.
Oolong tea is known to help reduce fine lines.
Kombucha tea contains hydrating properties for the skin's elasticity.
Teas don’t have a shelf life
When stored at the right temperature, tea can last for many months. When stored improperly or at constantly changing temperatures, your tea can go bad quickly. There are ways you can store your tea in your cabinet or pantry, somewhere dark and cool. Another way would be to add tea to a freezer bag and place it in the freezer. This way, the flavors are preserved while keeping it fresh. Tea is drawn to moisture and heat, so when exposed to it for long periods, the tea will become stale and lose flavor.
Things that indicate your tea has gone bad :
- Strange and noticeable smell
- Off-putting taste
- a few years old
- Not as flavorful
Signs that your tea has gone bad after drinking it :
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- dizziness
