Hot drinks have many benefits. They help us cheer up, relieve drowsiness, allow us to get real pleasure from the aroma and taste of our favorite drink. Many people like to warm up with a cup of hot tea in cold autumn or winter cold. But is such a drink useful, or can it be harmful?
Benefits of hot tea
Americans in the 19th century introduced the fashion for iced tea. There it quickly became popular, because in the hot climate of the southern states, a hot drink cannot quench your thirst. But in England, where there are frequent fogs and rains, they prefer to drink hot tea, adding it to hot milk. But not only because of the warming properties, the British prefer to drink such a drink.
Tea can serve as a great alternative to coffee, as it contains natural caffeine and nutritional compounds. But iced tea destroys the flavonoids found in tea. But they have powerful antioxidant properties. And when drinking hot tea, a large amount of antioxidants enters the body, they strengthen bones, reduce the risk of developing heart disease, and support the immune system.
Scientists at the Harvard School have conducted studies that have shown that people who drink one cup of hot black tea a day reduce the risk of a heart attack by more than 40%. A hot drink helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It also reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
Hot green tea can help prevent osteoporosis. This disease occurs when the bones are deformed. Antioxidants from green tea enter the body, maintaining the desired level of bone mineral density.
Hot green tea can help fight cancer, especially skin and colon cancer. Research in this area is still ongoing, but the results are impressive, there are cases of a decrease in the number of cancer cells.
It has been proven that taste buds perceive a hot drink better. They send signals to the brain, and it recognizes the sweet and pleasant taste of tea, which improves mood.
Why is hot tea dangerous?
An addiction to hot drinks can cause burns to the throat and esophagus. Boiling water damages the epithelium of the mucous membrane, provoking the development of atypical cells.
Hot tea weakens local immunity.
Violates the functions of the upper respiratory tract, may develop throat diseases, chronic tonsillitis. With regular use of hot drinks, there is a sore throat, cough.
Permanent burns of the oral mucosa contribute to the development of infection.
Taste buds gradually become thinner and lose their functions.
A hot drink worsens the condition of the tooth enamel.
What kind of tea is drunk only hot
There is a category of warming teas that are recommended to be drunk only hot. The most prominent representative is Indian Masala tea. It is prepared with milk from black tea and a large amount of spices. This tea perfectly invigorates, improves digestion, satisfies the feeling of hunger.
Mongolian tea is also poured into bowls, served to guests and consumed hot. It is made from pressed tea, mare’s or camel’s milk, salt, spices, and butter. Such tea simply cannot be drunk cold, because oil, and sometimes fat is added to tea, will simply freeze if the drink cools down. Tea is useful, it gives strength, relieves fatigue, saturates.
To drink or not to drink hot tea
Can you drink hot tea? Everyone decides for himself which drink he likes to drink. You should not burn yourself with boiling water, wanting to get more antioxidants if the taste of hot tea does not appeal.
If it is not possible to wait for the tea to cool down, it is worth drinking it in small sips. Finding your ideal drink temperature is easy. It is enough to take a cup of tea in your hands, if your hands can withstand the temperature of the cup, then the drink will be quite acceptable for drinking.
