A soothing and rejuvenating cup of English breakfast tea has many amazing benefits including detoxifying the body, reducing cholesterol levels, improving heart health, and promoting mental health.
What is English Breakfast Tea?
More than 80 years old, English breakfast tea or English tea is a blend of Assam black tea, Ceylon tea, and Kenyan tea. It is one of the most famously consumed tea on the English breakfast table, partly why its called by its unique name.
This tea has a rich and tangy flavor, somewhat similar to malt, and is accompanied by either milk or lemon. It has a very soothing aroma with slight notes of raisins. English breakfast tea takes a deep red color when infused. It is also high in caffeine.
Nutrition
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Essentially calorie-free, English breakfast tea is a powerhouse of nutrients as it contains potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It also has a rich supply of B vitamins, including folate, as well as minerals such as fluoride that promotes dental health. English breakfast tea boasts of various antioxidants including polyphenols such as theaflavins and thearubigins.
English Breakfast Tea Benefits
The rich flavonoid content of English breakfast tea gives it many benefits including the improvement of arterial health, a likely reduction in the risk of cancer, and better dental health. Let us take a look at all the wonderful benefits of this tea.
Detoxifies the Body
Rich in flavonoids, thearubigins, and theaflavins, black tea is an amazing antioxidant tea. It helps in fighting free radical damage in the body and promotes overall health. The antioxidants present in this tea also help slow the signs of aging.
Eliminates Stress
Recent studies suggest that black tea helps in reducing the cortisol levels in your body that is the major stress hormone. Hence, English breakfast tea, being a black tea blend, eliminates stress. [1]
Reduces Cholesterol Levels
Regular consumption of this black tea blend has shown to lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the body, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. It also aids in increasing the HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the body, thanks to its high antioxidant content. [2]
Promotes Weight Loss
By promoting the growth of good bacteria in the gut, English breakfast tea helps improve digestion. Not just that, this tea also gives a push to our energy metabolism in the liver, thereby promoting weight loss.
Improves Heart Health
Drinking English breakfast tea regularly has shown to open blocked arteries, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Black tea also lowers blood glucose levels, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels in the body. Thus, helping promote overall heart health. [3]
Increases Concentration
Thanks to the caffeine content in black tea, which is about 40-70 mg in a single cup, half of that found in coffee, English breakfast tea acts as a great wake-up drink. This also partly makes for the reason how this tea gets its name. This tea also helps keep you alert and your mood refreshed while you go about your day.
Keeps you Hydrated
English breakfast tea, being rich in caffeine, serves as a good hydrating agent. 2-3 cups of this black tea make sure that your body doesn’t miss out on any of the essential water content.
Anticancer Potential
A study published in the International Journal of Oncology suggests that the presence of a compound called theaflavin-3′-monogallate or TF-2 in black tea might serve as a potential anti-angiogenic agent for cancer treatment. According to a team of Polish researchers, black tea is an antioxidative agent that protects against cellular damage caused due to unstable molecules known as free radicals. This, in turn, reduces the risk of cancer. [4] [5]
Improves Dental Health
The amazing fluoride content of black tea helps prevent tooth decay and promotes gum health. A comparative study of children drinking English tea vs. drinking carbonated beverages showed tooth decay among the latter. Thus proving black tea infused with sugar to be a healthy option.
Treats Kidney Stones
By providing your body with all the necessary fluids, English breakfast tea can help prevent the formation of kidney stones and thereby maintain kidney health.
Other
There are a few other benefits of this tea that include the following:
- Improves bone health
- Promotes the production of red blood cells
- Treats asthma and improves respiratory health
Irish vs English Breakfast Tea
There are a few key differences between Irish breakfast tea and English breakfast tea, they include the following.
- Blend: While English breakfast tea has more of a Ceylon and Kenyan tea blend, with slight notes of Assam, Irish breakfast tea has a strong Assamese influence.
- Taste: English breakfast tea has a milder flavor than Irish breakfast tea. English breakfast tea can also be mixed with milk and sugar for a more robust taste.
- Color: Both the varieties of tea have a similar color (reddish-yellow).
- Accompaniments: English tea taste divine with toasts and avocado chocolate chip cookies, while Irish breakfast tea tastes well with wheat and a honey scone and carrot cake.
How to Make English Breakfast Tea: Easy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp English Breakfast tea leaves
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp milk or cream optional
- sugar optional
- lemon slice optional
Instructions
- It is important to measure the tea leaves and water to ensure the perfect cup of tea. All loose tea leaves are different but as a standard measure, you can use 1 teaspoon of tea leaves for a cup of water.
Boil water in a kettle or a saucepan. Never reboil the water as it will change the way the tea tastes.
- Remove the water from heat and add the tea leaves. Let it infuse the water for 2 minutes. Timing it correctly is important because it will affect the strength of the tea.
- A perfect black English Breakfast is ready. Add sugar and lemon or milk and sugar as per taste.
- If you like a creamy English Breakfast, you can add milk and let it blend for an additional 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can add milk or cream after the tea infusion is ready. This can help you judge the correct amount of milkiness of your tea.
- If you are using a traditional teapot, pour the tea infusion after straining the tea leaves into the pot. Enjoy your English Breakfast tea with cucumber sandwiches or a scone!
Word of Caution: As with any other product, be it tea or juice, moderation while consumption is advised. Make sure to consult your doctor before consumption if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
So, what are you waiting for? Give a try to the wonderful English breakfast tea in your next high tea party!
