Are you working on a New Year's resolution to lose weight, eat healthier and take care of your body? January is National Hot Tea Month which makes it the perfect time to brew some American-grown tea and enjoy those health benefits.

Did you know that drinking white, green, and black tea can benefit your health? With flu season upon us, many of us are looking for ways to boost our immune system. Do you think it could be as easy as adding a cup of tea to your daily routine?

You also want to have confidence in the quality and integrity of the ingredients. Below is a summary of some to the health benefits of white, green, and black teas, as well as our suggestions for American grown sources.  Enjoy!

How Drinking American Grown White, Green and Black Tea Benefits Your Health

Though tea comes in many varieties, white teas, green teas, and black teas are the most popular and more studied. These varieties are all derived from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis.  All make a great cup of hot tea!

White Tea

White tea comes from the young leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant, and is also known as “baby green tea”. Since it is picked the earliest and is the least processed (leaves are usually just steamed and dried), it is shown in studies to contain the most polyphenols, the powerful anti-oxidant that fights cancer-causing cells. Polyphenols can help in reducing cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.  New studies show that white teas may retard the growth of the bacteria that causes Staph, Strep, and Pneumonia infections. It also contains the least amount of caffeine.  White tea is a great hot tea for unwinding at the end of a long day.

Try  White Tea from Light of Day Organics. Light of Day Organics is the only tea farm in Michigan. Buds are hand-picked and certified organic. 

Green Tea

Green tea is made from leaves picked from a more mature Camellia sinensis plant. Its leaves are processed more than white tea leaves. They are steamed and scalded for several minutes and can be rolled. This seems to be the most studied tea, and it has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. Green tea also contains a high level of polyphenols and is believed to lower the risk and spread of certain types of cancers. Studies have also shown that green tea can strengthen the immune system and help burn body fat.  Green tea is a wonderfully healthful hot tea for any time.

Try Organic Premium Green Tea by Mauna Kea Tea.  Their product is grown in Hawaii using the process of natural farming (no tilling, no weeding, no pesticides, and no fertilizers). It is hand picked and hand processed.

Black Tea

Black tea is made from more processed, fermented, green tea leaves. It carries similar benefits to the green teas. Studies show black teas can reduce the risk of oral cancer in smokers. Black teas contain the most caffeine and studies have shown it can give your memory a boost, plus regular drinking may help protect against Parkinson's disease.  The caffeine in black teas can also aid in the boosting of energy. A cup of black hot tea generally contains about 1/2 the caffeine as the same size cup of coffee.

Try Makai Black by Tea Hawaii & Company. All Tea Hawaii & Company whole leaf organic teas are artisan crafted from Hawaii grown tea. Tea leaves are hand picked and hand processed.

For more information on the health benefits of teas, check out the Science Daily website.

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Drinking White, Green, & Black Tea Benefits Your Health | National Tea Month | Health Benefits of Tea |Tea Grown in Hawaii