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Most people cannot imagine their morning without a cup of tea. And in some countries, tea drinking is a special ritual that includes centuries-old traditions. Hot tea, especially in frosty weather, warms not only the body, but also has a beneficial effect on the state of mind. The benefits and harms of hot tea are a long-standing and controversial topic of discussion and controversy.
Why hot tea is useful
Tea leaves contain enough healthy caffeine, which makes tea's stimulating properties comparable to the invigorating coffee.
The benefits of hot tea are beyond doubt:
- It is the hot tea drink that has an antioxidant effect on the body. And all thanks to the beneficial flavonoids: cooling the drink destroys them.
- It stabilizes blood pressure and lowers the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood, which manifests the benefits of preventing hypertension and atherosclerosis.
- Green hot tea has the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, especially the skin and colon. Research is still underway, but the available evidence suggests a benefit in reducing cancer cells.
- Reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis, since bone tissue becomes stronger - this is an undoubted benefit for older people.
- Due to the beneficial properties of hot tea for colds, frequent drinking is recommended - this way the body is freed from toxins.
Research from Harvard University has confirmed why drinking hot black tea is beneficial:
- one cup daily reduces the risk of heart attacks by 40%;
- the likelihood of developing diabetes decreases.
Does tea taste depend on water temperature
The taste and health benefits of brewed tea depend not only on the quantity and quality of tea leaves. Taste qualities and useful properties are determined by the selected brewing temperature of the drink.
With different degrees of heating, the same type of tea at the outlet will differ in color, taste and aroma. Those who prefer a tart and bitter aftertaste use a higher water temperature when brewing. At the other extreme, steeping the tea in cold water will take a long time and prevent the leaves from revealing their flavorful and beneficial antioxidant properties.
In order to learn how to brew tea correctly, you need to know to what temperature values the water should be heated for each variety, so as not to provoke harm from exposure to hazardous chemical compounds.
What should be the temperature of the water for brewing tea
The water temperature for making tea can range from 65 to 100 ° C. It all depends on the shape and size of the tea leaves and individual taste preferences. Helpful Hint: The lighter the tea leaves, the lower the temperature the water needs to brew.
Temperature conditions for different types of tea:
- benefits of unfermented white and green tea will be maximum at a brewing temperature of 65 - 80 ° C;
- for yellow and flower tea (partly fermented) the optimal value is 80 - 95 ° C;
- fermented teas (red, black, pu-erh tea) open when water is heated to 95 - 100 ° C.
Why you can't drink hot tea
Scientists and doctors are increasingly focusing on the dangers of negative consequences as a result of regular consumption of hot tea.
Drinks with a temperature above 70 ° C, if taken regularly, can increase the risk of developing cancer: cancer of the throat, larynx, esophagus.
The entire digestive system also suffers.
Drinking hot tea is harmful. This is confirmed by the following conclusions:
- Drinking hot drinks destroys the laryngeal and throat tissue without nerve nodes. It is also very dangerous because the disease that has arisen for this reason will be asymptomatic.
- Too hot temperature of the drink weakens local immunity.
- The harm of scalding tea can also manifest itself in relation to the respiratory system, which will react with a cough, sore throat, and the development of chronic tonsillitis.
- Hot teas injure the oral mucosa, promote the formation of atypical epithelial cells, thereby increasing susceptibility to various infections.
- The harm of hot drinks is also manifested in the destruction of tooth enamel.
Water temperatures of up to 60 ° C are optimal for health benefits: brewing hot tea within this limit guarantees no harm.
If time does not allow you to wait for the drink to cool down to the optimal temperature, then a reasonable solution would be to drink tea in small sips.
What tea is drunk only hot
Some types of tea are traditionally drunk only hot:
- Mongolian tea: is an energy drink - an assortment of tea leaves, camel milk, spices and salt with the addition of oil, so it is useful to drink it only hot;
- Indian Masala Tea from black leaves, milk and spices - with beneficial invigorating and hunger-satisfying properties.
Why does hot tea dissolve sugar faster?
The answer lies on the surface: it is enough to remember school physics lessons. The whole reason is the phenomenon of diffusion. Carbohydrates tend to dissolve easily in aqueous solution. And sugar is a carbohydrate. The higher the liquid is heated, the faster the sugar breaks down into molecules and the faster they mix with each other.
It is clear that sugar in a cold liquid will not dissolve on its own. It will need to be stirred vigorously, pushing the molecules to move. Stirring in hot tea can be neglected: sugar will dissolve on its own over time.
Conclusion
The question of what are the benefits and harms of hot tea for the human body has been discussed for many decades. The technology of brewing the drink itself contains the meaning of its use hot. On the other hand, it is important to protect yourself from harm from the possible consequences of microburns. Everyone chooses the individual temperature of the drink for himself. It is enough to pick up a cup of tea: if the skin of the hands is not hot, then the throat is not in danger.
