As a Brit, I have a strong appreciation for tea. It’s just wonderful. Seriously, I enjoy it daily. Like families and tradition, tea was brought from India to the UK centuries ago and has since become a beloved national drink.
However, there’s a catch: if you steep food-grade plastic tea bags in hot water, they often break down quickly. This process results in a brew that resembles more of a plastic soup than actual tea.
Tea has had a profound impact on the UK, playing a role in the rise of the British Empire and sparking significant conflict with its 13 colonies.
Beyond just being delicious, tea offers a wealth of health benefits. Here are a few that might surprise you.
1. Tea Can Aid Weight Loss
Japanese research indicates that caffeine-rich tea extracts increase energy expenditure by triggering changes in brown fat cells. Yes, there are two types of fat: white and brown. Brown fat burns energy, essentially functioning as a furnace to keep you warm. So, with tea catechins, this process is enhanced, meaning you can enjoy more food without gaining weight. Pretty neat, right?
2. Green Tea Supports Muscle Growth
There’s plenty of evidence showing that green tea has a positive effect on muscle building, especially among bodybuilders and athletes. For instance, a study involving Brazilian women on weight loss programs found that those who combined weight training with green tea gained more strength and muscle mass.
How does this work? Green tea polyphenols are thought to inhibit enzymes that break down testosterone in the bloodstream, allowing more to stay active for longer. Drinking green tea before workouts might also raise adrenaline levels, boosting your training session.
3. Tea May Help You Live Longer
A large study involving 100,000 Chinese adults found that those who drank three cups of green tea weekly had a 15% lower mortality risk over seven years. They estimated that tea might add about 1.26 years to the lifespan of 50-year-old drinkers, largely attributed to the protective phenols found in tea.
There’s a mountain of research backing tea’s health benefits, should you wish to dive deeper. The vast array of studies is quite intriguing.
The takeaway? Drinking tea is evidently beneficial.
But There’s a Caveat
Before you rush off to brew your tea, it’s essential to address some concerns—primarily regarding plastic. Microplastics pose a substantial risk, and when you use tea bags over loose leaves, you’re likely consuming more than you realize.
Emerging research links microplastics to a host of chronic diseases, ranging from Alzheimer’s to heart issues. These tiny particles can accumulate across various organs, with some studies suggesting you might swallow enough plastic to equal your credit card’s worth in a week.
What’s in Your Bag?
Plastic contamination in tea doesn’t just stem from the water or kettles. Many tea bags themselves contain plastic materials. Research on six UK brands found that four contained polypropylene, and one was fully composed of nylon.
Food-grade plastics break down significantly when heated beyond 40 degrees Celsius. When you steep such tea bags in boiling water, they swiftly deteriorate, resulting in a brew that’s, well, more plastic soup than tea.
One study indicated that a single plastic tea bag could release around 11.6 billion microplastic particles into your cup. And the even finer nanoplastics? They might be even more concerning, given their ability to infiltrate areas where microplastics can’t.
Of course, the simplest way to avoid plastic is to skip tea bags. But, honestly, who wants to manage loose leaves and strainers? That sounds a bit messy.
Thankfully, There Are Solutions
There are brands like Kindred Harvest, which I happen to have founded. They offer organic tea products devoid of harmful pesticides and have been tested for heavy metals. Best of all? Their tea bags are 100% plastic-free.
Kindred Harvest presents a variety of blends, from classic black and green teas to more exotic flavors like vanilla chai and cinnamon apple.
One favorite of mine is the Sleep Tea Mix, which features chamomile, lemongrass, spearmint, and lavender. Sleep, as we all know, plays a vital role in overall health, especially for men seeking to optimize testosterone levels. I find that a warm cup of chamomile helps me drift off right away.
If you’re keen to try it out or explore their offerings, I’d recommend checking it out.
