What Are the Benefits of Caffeine-Free Tea?
If you're looking for a beverage that will offer health benefits and suit your taste buds to a T, consider a cup of caffeine-free tea. The term "decaffeinated tea" refers to teas that have had at least 97 percent of the caffeine content removed. Teas fall into four basic categories, all of which offer decaffeinated varieties: black tea, green tea, oolong tea and herbal tea. Of these, only herbal tea is 100 percent caffeine free.
Types
Decaffeinated teas are beverages that have been derived from tea leaves or herbs. Decaf tea made from tea leaves comes in both black and green tea varieties. Herbal "teas" are actually not made of tea at all but are infused with herbs, flowers and other ingredients.
Health Benefits
Decaf teas are a great choice if you're looking for a beverage that won't act as a stimulant; they contain less caffeine than regular tea and coffee or other beverages such as colas. In addition, green tea, white tea and herbal tea contain the highest concentrations of polyphenols, chemicals with significant antioxidant properties. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, best-selling author and director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson, antioxidants have been shown to safeguard the immune system; benefit the heart, eyes, muscles and skin; slow the effects of aging and help block the chemical reactions that generate free radicals---harmful compounds that damage DNA.
Effects
With flavorful choices from sweet to spicy, caffeine-free herbal teas promote good health and address specific maladies. For example, chamomile tea is known for its calming effect, cinnamon tea for aiding circulation and digestion, fennel tea for soothing respiratory problems and peppermint tea for relieving stress.
Considerations
It's not known whether decaffeinated tea is as healthful as regular tea. Most of the studies that suggest drinking tea has significant health benefits have focused on regular tea, not decaffeinated varieties. According to Dr. Weil, how healthful a caffeine-free tea is depends on how it's decaffeinated. Two processes are used for decaffeinating tea. One uses the solvent ethyl acetate and retains only 30 percent of the tea's beneficial polyphenols; the other uses only water and carbon dioxide and retains 95 percent of the polyphenols.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to polyphenols, tea---both decaffeinated and caffeinated---contains many vitamins and minerals such as carotene, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), folic acid, manganese, potassium and fluoride.
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