Energy Tea: Does Green Tea Boost Your Energy?
Green tea is one of the most popular drinks on the planet! No doubt this is because of the myriad of health benefits, but green tea is more than just a healthy drink.
Is Green Tea an Energy Drink?
On a day-to-day basis sometimes we are more concerned with just having the energy to get through the day. So it's not surprising when people want to know what is the best tea for energy.
Produced from the camellia sinensis plant, Green tea is a caffeinated tea. Caffeine acts as a stimulant speeding up communication between our brain and body, making us feel more alert.
Do you find yourself reaching for a cup of coffee, an energy drink, or sugary soda to get that boost of needed energy? Consider replacing it with the healthier alternative – a cup of green tea. Research shows that drinking green tea regularly can boost energy levels and improve endurance.
What is the Best Tea to Drink for Energy?
We've all experienced those days...more tired than normal, feeling hungry, or stressed. Days when your reserve tank is empty and you just lack the energy to accomplish what you want to do.
A tired body releases cortisol and adrenaline, which are stress hormones that can make you feel anxious. Downing a double espresso comes to mind. But you know that will only be a temporary fix and you'll just end up a jittery, anxious person.
Before you reach for a cup of java, consider swapping for a cup of tea.
Sometimes a lack of energy can be because of hunger. But hunger or cravings may simply be the result of dehydration. If you're still tired after eating, drinking tea can hydrate you and give you the energy you need.
Tea relieves stress and gives you the energy to continue your tasks. But which are the best energy teas to drink when you need that boost? Let's explore the best type of tea for energy and focus.
Top 7 Teas that Give You Energy & Focus
Don't rely on energy drinks filled with who-knows-what and enough caffeine to power a freight train. If you're looking for the best tea for energy and focus, try some of these all-natural loose leaf teas:
1. Matcha Green Tea
What is Matcha?
Made by grinding green tea leaves into powder, Matcha is green tea in its purest form. Matcha has been an important part of the Japanese culture for over 800 years.
All green tea can help boost energy, but Matcha truly is the perfect energy tea. Because you are consuming the entire leaf in powder form, the antioxidant levels of Matcha are through the roof:
- 3x the amount of regular loose green tea
- 60x more than spinach (sorry Popeye!)
- 137x more than low-quality grocery store-bought tea bags
Matcha has more caffeine than loose leaf green tea, but less than a cup of coffee. The caffeine in matcha boosts energy metabolism in the brain. This may help improve alertness and memory function. Matcha is a high energy tea that disperses the caffeine more gently, providing longer lasting energy.
Matcha contains the same properties as green tea, providing your body with amino acids that help lower cortisol levels. This may help balance your mood, relieve stress, and improve focus.
Matcha can also help boost your energy without creating the jitters. Studies have shown that it may even help reduce anxiety and high blood pressure.
While we all need a little extra energy, it's always important to consider when you need that energy boost. You should enjoy green tea two hours before or after a meal for the best experience. Drinking a cup before exercise may help boost endurance. Enjoying a cup after dinner may ease digestion and aid in your weight loss plan.
Some people with high stomach acid can experience nausea when drinking green tea on an empty stomach. You also might want to avoid it right before bed – save that energy boost for when you need it!
2. Rooibos Tea
Rooibos has been providing health benefits for over 300 years, yet many still don't even know what Rooibos tea is.
Also known as Red tea or Red Bush tea, Rooibos is a plant native to South Africa. When dried, it brews into a red-colored infusion.
A combination of the hot dry climate with periods of heavy rainfall creates a sweet-flavored tea. Depending on the blend, the flavor of Rooibos can range from smoky, woody, or grassy to fruity or sweet like honey.
Rooibos is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea, but it can still provide an uplifted feeling of energy. Without caffeine, you can enjoy Rooibos when you need a boost later in the day without interrupting a restful night's sleep.
3. Black Tea
Black tea is so popular, you probably expected to see this one at the top of the list. It's true, black tea has been proven to boost energy and alertness.
Black tea contains caffeine and powerful catechins that studies have shown to increase energy levels. The energy boost can last for up to six hours, so be careful what time of day you drink black tea.
Like matcha, black tea also contains L-theanine which provides a feeling of calm. Paired together, caffeine and l-theanine may help increase focus and attention.
Black tea is a unique energizing tea in that it contains polyphenols called theaflavins formed during oxidation. Theaflavins, which are antioxidants, protect cells from free radicals and benefit heart and blood vessel health. They also support your own natural antioxidant production.
4. Yerba Maté
People have consumed Yerba Mate, an herbal tea native to South America, for hundreds of years. People traditionally enjoy it with a metal straw and gourd.
Yerba Mate contains numerous health benefits. Yet Yerba Maté has less than half the caffeine content of coffee. Yerba Mate creates an energy boost by increasing metabolism and providing a sense of alertness.
The flavor of Yerba Mate is best described as green tea with a touch of peppermint. You can also find it in blends like Samurai Spirit Mate or Hazelnut Chocolate Mate. Learn more about Yerba Mate.
5. Ginger Tea
People have used ginger as an ayurvedic medicinal aid for hundreds of years. Ginger reduces inflammation, boosts energy, focus, and cognition by improving blood circulation and reducing tension in the body.
Many caffeine-free tea blends contain the sweet but spicy herb.
Ginger naturally helps improve the secretion of adrenal catecholamines. These are compounds in our body that help modulate our consumption of energy. So give a cup of ginger tea a try next time you need a boost of energy.
6. Peppermint Tea
You wouldn't expect to turn to an herbal tea for energy. But studies have shown that peppermint tea is also effective for boosting energy when you feel like you're dragging. Peppermint tea is a caffeine-free alternative for increasing alertness, energy, and focus.
Enjoy a minty energy boost with our Moroccan Mint tea – caffeinated black tea blended with mint.
7. Tea with Licorice Root
Another healthy, natural energy boosting tea is a tea blend that contains licorice. Licorice root increases adrenaline making you feel focused and alert. However, it is not a quick boost as It can take about 30 minutes before feeling the effects.
Licorice helps your body keep its natural cortisone levels. Cortisol is a hormone made by the adrenal glands to fight stress. Licorice supports these glands, stopping cortisol from breaking down. More cortisol means more energy and a better response to stress.
People often use licorice root to ease stomach problems. Even though the caffeine content may be low, licorice root can still provide a boost of energy.
Steep, sip, and enjoy an energy boost, naturally!
Source:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324120