White tea is not only tasty with a light, delicate aroma and flavor, it's also known to have a variety of health benefits that make it an excellent choice for disease prevention. Fortunately, this light, sweet tea is becoming more and more available in grocery stores and tea rooms around the country. What are the potential health benefits of white tea?
White Tea May Help to Reduce Your Risk of Infection
Studies are emerging that show that white tea can help to slow the growth and reproduction of a variety of bacteria and viruses that cause illness. A study performed at Pace University showed that an extract of white tea could help your body's immune system fight off bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus that cause a wide range of infections including skin infections and pneumonia. Drinking white tea during the winter when influenza and bacterial infections are at their peak could potentially give some protection against winter illness.
White Tea May Protect Against Colon Cancer
Another health benefit of white tea may be the ability to reduce the incidence of colon cancer. Several recent studies have supported this theory including one carried out in 2007 at Southern Ohio University showing that white tea appears to inhibit cell proliferation in the colon and suppress the formation of early colon cancer lesions.
White May Help to Protect Against Dental Caries
Just as white tea appears to suppress the growth of certain viruses and bacteria, it appears to inhibit some of the bacteria that cause dental caries. If this holds true, it may save a tea drinker a few painful trips to the dentist.
White Tea May Protect Against Sun Damage
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University showed that the components in white tea may help to enhance skin cell immune function, effectively protecting them against damage from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It may also provide skin anti-aging benefits. Don't be surprised to see more cosmetic products advertising white tea as an ingredient in the future.
Because white tea undergoes less processing than green or black teas, it has been shown to have higher levels of certain chemical components that may be responsible for it health benefits. Plus, white tea is often perceived as being mild in taste which makes it appealing to those who find the taste of green tea to be to “grassy” and “vegetative”.
With all of the potential health benefits of white tea being discovered, a few glasses of this healthy beverage per day might be a cheap insurance policy against future illness.
