Many people, especially in Southeast Asia, love Thai tea as a popular beverage. It is a delightful drink ideal for hot regions because it is a sweet and creamy tea that is frequently served with ice. This brings us to the question, “What else does Thai tea offer you except a delightful flavor?”
Thai tea might offer an assortment of health benefits like the ability to reduce inflammation, promotes cardiovascular fitness, and potentially defends against some cancers.
We’ll explore Thai tea’s many health advantages and how they can enhance your general well-being in this article. We are also going to check the possible risks this drink might pose to your health. So stick with me till the end!
What Is Thai Tea?
Thai tea is a kind of tea that evolved from normal tea in Thailand. Black tea leaves, spices like star anise and cinnamon, and something sweet like condensed milk or sugar have all been blended in order to create this drink. With milk that has been evaporated on top, the blend is frequently offered with ice.
With the passage of time, this drink has paved its way outside Thailand, toward other Asian countries, and finally toward European nations. Thai tea is now a worldwide consumed beverage and a choice of drink for many age groups.
With its unique flavor profile and appetizing color, it grabbed the attention of viewers rather too quickly. In Thailand, it is now considered an essential part of Thai cuisine.
For some in-depth information, watch the following video.
Ingredients In Thai Tea And Their Health Benefits
Thai tea is primarily brewed using black tea leaves because they’re rich in polyphenols, an antioxidant. Many positive health effects of polyphenols have been scientifically documented, notably lower levels of inflammation, defense against cardiovascular disease, and protection against several cancers.
On top of that, cinnamon and star anise are commonly incorporated into Thai tea. Cinnamon has been scientifically shown to help stabilize the amount of sugar in the blood, and star anise has become renowned for its beneficial anti-inflammatory properties.
Thai tea typically comes sweetened with condensed milk or sugar. Notwithstanding the fact that each of these components has a lot of calories, together could offer you an additional source of vitality and help you stay focused.
Antioxidant Properties Of Thai Tea
Black tea leaves represent an excellent resource of polyphenols, known to be strong antioxidants, as previously mentioned.
Antioxidants contribute to safeguarding our bodies against a condition known as oxidative stress, which has been scientifically associated with a wide range of conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Thai Tea
Thai tea tends to have star anise, known for its beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. Even though prolonged inflammation has been associated with several kinds of health issues, notably heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, it’s actually the body’s typical reaction against harm or contamination. Thai tea can be helpful in minimizing the risk of multiple disorders by decreasing inflammation.
Boost Energy Level
Thai tea is frequently sweetened with sugar or condensed milk, both of which give you an instant energy boost. Black tea’s caffeine content can also aid in enhancing concentration and mental clarity.
Helps Promotes Digestion
Cinnamon and anise, two spices included in Thai tea, have been proven to aid in digestion. Particularly cinnamon has been shown to help lessen bloating and enhance digestive health.
Helps Regulate Blood Sugar Level
Another prominent component of Thai tea, cinnamon, has been revealed to help stabilize the amount of sugar in the blood. For those who have diabetes or pre-diabetes, this becomes especially important because high levels of glucose in the blood may culminate in quite a few medical conditions.
Potential Benefits to Cardiovascular Health
In accordance with a number of studies, consuming black tea has been shown with improving cardiovascular health by minimizing blood pressure, increasing the number of lipids in the blood, and lessening the risk of heart disease. The results presented imply that Thai tea could provide similar advantages, albeit more study needs to be conducted.
Potential Benefits to Brain Functions
Black tea’s caffeine and antioxidants have been shown with improving memory and thinking and lower the risk of developing dementia.
On top of that, some of the substances contained in Thai tea, including cinnamon, have been scientifically shown to have neuroprotective characteristics, implying that they could be useful in minimizing brain degeneration and impairment.
Potential Anti-Cancer Properties of Thai Tea
Polyphenols found in black tea leaves have anti-cancer properties. Studies suggest that drinking black tea regularly may help to reduce the risk of getting tumors like breast, ovarian, and cancers of the colon.
The research says, that Thai tea has anti-cancer properties. However, it is better to speak with a subject matter consultant.
Health Benefits Summary
| Health Benefits of Thai Tea |
|---|
| Antioxidant properties |
| Anti-inflammatory effects |
| Potential benefits for cardiovascular health |
| Potential benefits for brain function |
| Potential anti-cancer properties |
Possible Cons Of Thai Tea
Thai tea possesses a number of health advantages, but it is vital to know that it may also have some disadvantages.
High-Calorie Content
One most significant and negative aspect is the high-calorie content, especially when combined with condensed milk or sugar. Condensed milk is a source of carbs, which won’t prove beneficial to you if you are a health enthusiast or trying to lose weight. Carbs are stored in your body and make shedding pounds a harder task to achieve.
Moreover, a high-calorie drink can take up a big chunk of your daily calorie requirements leaving you little room for other things of your choice and then you have to make hard but unsustainable decisions. These unsustainable decisions sometimes alone are enough to put you off your healthy diet and you have to start all over again.
Too Much Sugar
Sugar is unhealthy for you in most cases. The daily recommended intake of sugar is 24 and 36 grams for females and males respectively and these can sometimes be acquired solely with a sweetened beverage. Here, it is notable that you not only intake sugar directly but most of the foods contain hidden sugars.
So, a sweetened beverage along with other daily foods may easily put your sugar monitoring off balance. It is therefore advisable to use sugar alternatives like natural (stevia) and artificial sweeteners (aspartame).
Drawbacks of Caffeine
Black tea contains caffeine, which, in people with specific illnesses, can have unfavorable consequences like anxiety, sleeplessness, and aggression.
Conclusion
- Thai tea is a delectable and cooling drink with a number of health advantages.
- Thai tea includes anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that may assist to shield the body from harm and inflammation.
- Thai tea may promote cardiovascular health as well as cognitive function.
- Despite the fact that Thai tea is typically regarded as safe when consumed, it is nevertheless important to do so within limits and to be conscious of any possible adverse consequences linked with the high calorie and caffeine content.