Health Benefits of Honey in Tea
Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world after coffee, but do you know how this beverage was invented? Legend has it that the Chinese Emperor, Shen Nung, was drinking a cup of boiled water in his garden back in 2737 BCE and few leaves fell into the pot. When the Emperor tasted the drink, he found it to be a great improvement over normal boiling water!
The Emperor then ordered the growing of these miraculous leaves. As it turned out, today it is a most sought after beverage. According to a report by Statista, global tea production in 2012 was recoded at 4.68 million metric tons and the export quantity was reported to be 1,74 million metric tons. Indonesia, India, China, Sri Lanka and Kenya were the largest exporting countries.
Apart from a good taste, it also many health benefits.
The Love Affair with Honey
When someone asks you about a perfect match, what are the names that come your mind? Romeo and Juliet? Jack and Rose? Batman and Joker? Well, add honey and tea to that list too. Natural honey is a great source of carbohydrates and it sweetens without adding any preservatives to the drink.
Therefore, many people these days are switching to using honey in tea instead of sugar as a sweetener, say experts at TinRoofTeas. When you add honey to green tea, it also reduces the effect on your insulin and glucose levels. Different varieties of honey can be mixed with different types of tea, not just for their health benefits, but also for a better taste.
Other Health Benefits
A cup of tea usually contains 40mg of caffeine, which is much lower than the 85mg found in a cup of coffee. A cup of tea also contains flavonoids, a natural class of antioxidants. They help in the removal of free radicals from the body, which are unstable body cells that react negatively with other molecules like DNA and cause damage at the cellular level.
The added benefits of green and black tea are widely known and they can be further improved by adding honey in tea. You can try different combinations to get the best flavor. While Tupelo honey is said to go best with Jasmine flavored tea, mild tea tastes the best with blueberry honey.
There can be as many combinations as you are willing to try. Just remember not to pour honey in a super-hot cup of tea, since this will reduce the health benefits.