Health enthusiasts across the globe swear by the positive benefits of tea on the human body. When we consider Black Tea vs Green Tea, owing to the rich antioxidant content in those, the beverage can be considered as the liquor of good health.
But a tug of war is always on to determine which type of tea is better for you – green tea or black tea. Today we will attempt to clear all your doubts on this matter by explaining the minute differences between black tea vs green tea.
Origin
Did you know that both green tea and black tea originate from the same plant? It is the Camellia Sinensis. The difference in the taste, caffeine content, colour, nutrient content etc is because of the two types of teas are processed in different ways.
Fermentation Process & Antioxidants
Green Tea does not undergo complete oxidation. This makes it rich in polyphenols. The same reason also raises its epigallocatechin gallate, which is another antioxidant, great for overall health.
Due to the presence of these things, when green tea is combined with appropriate exercise and a proper diet, it aids in weight loss, detoxifies the system and boosts metabolism.
On the other hand, black tea loses a lot of the mentioned antioxidants while it is fermented. But it develops unique polyphenols called Theaflavins.
Theaflavins in black tea has numerous benefits like protecting fat cells from the damage of free radicals, lowering plaque formation in blood vessels etc.
Caffeine Content of Black Tea vs Green Tea
Because of the same fermentation procedure, the caffeine content in black tea is way higher than that in green tea. Among beverages that are taken hot, coffee has the highest amount of caffeine per cup. A comparison of both kinds of teas may be drawn with coffee to give the readers some idea of the caffeine content.
While a cup of green tea contains about one-fourth of the caffeine contained in a cup of coffee, a cup of black tea contains one-third of the same. In other words, the caffeine content in green tea varies between 9 mg to 30 mg per cup whereas the same in black tea is around 42 mg to 100 mg.
The differences in the caffeine content render different characteristics to the two types of tea. Hence, if you are not a morning person and waking up is a task for you, avoid taking green tea as your first beverage as the low caffeine content will not be enough to give you a good boost of energy.
Again, those who are fond of drinking a cup of tea after dinner or anytime in the late evening, avoid black tea as the high caffeine content may make it difficult for you to fall asleep. Taking a cup of lightly brewed green tea every night at bedtime is a better option as the habit will boost metabolism and aid the process of digestion.
Brewing Procedure
To brew green tea, water needs to be heated to a temperature of around 80-degree centigrade. This temperature is enough to bring out the goodness of the tea. For a cup of green tea, one needs to use around 2.5 gm of tea and the water needs to be poured over the tea and kept covered for about 3 minutes.
Green Tea Recipe – How to make it?
Green tea is best consumed without any added flavours. However, flavoured green teas like tulsi green tea are readily available in the market. One can also add the following ingredients to flavour his or her own tea:
- Try mixing a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of ginger juice to a cup of green tea
- Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to your green tea in the morning to create a powerful fat-burning beverage.
- Green tea flavoured with cinnamon is a great natural remedy for weight loss and insulin resistance.
Good quality black tea leaves are to be brewed in the same way as green tea, only the temperature of the water needs to be a bit on the higher side – that is – 100-degree centigrade. Two and a half gram of black tea leaves is enough to flavour a standard cup. Black tea needs to be brewed for about 3-5 minutes in a teapot for its entire flavour to get released.
Black Tea Recipe – How to prepare it?
While connoisseurs of tea prefer to take good quality black tea without any kinds of flavouring – owing to its naturally rich aroma and flavour – there are ways in which you can give a good twist to the taste.
- Adding a few drops of lemon to black tea will result in a cup of lemon tea that is a perfect beverage on a hot summer day. Adding sugar or not is however a personal preference.
- Black tea is also consumed cold, flavoured with honey, mint, lemon and a few chunks of ice – resulting in the refreshing drink – the ice tea.
- Black tea is widely taken with sugar and milk and this way of consuming the tea has existed since the British Era.
- Black Tea, in its CTC form, is brewed in an entirely different way. CTC is usually brewed over a flame with full-cream milk, water and sugar. It is also often flavoured with ginger, cardamom and other spices resulting in a concoction famous as “masala chai” or “nukkad ki chai” across India.
Other Factors to Consider
- Black tea has more acidity than green tea. So people suffering from the issue should consider before choosing their ideal beverage. However, adding a few drops of lemon will eliminate the acidity factor in black tea to a great extent.
- Green tea has a distinct bitter taste and since it should ideally be taken without any flavouring, one may want to consider this point before purchasing a good quantity of the product.
The heritage of tea is intertwined with the culture of India. Since ages, teas like green tea, tulsi chai, Kashmiri kawa has been consumed by people of the country to gain numerous health benefits. Green tea or black teas are not exceptions as both have numerous benefits for the brain, the heart and the body.
Hopefully, this read has given you a good idea about which tea will be most suitable for regular consumption for you and once you have decided you can purchase your favourite tea – flavoured or unflavoured – directly from us. Do not keep yourself deprived of the benefits of this magical beverage!
