We can all thank the ancient Chinese for drawing our attention to the wonders that may be found in a simple yet pleasurable cup of green tea.

For hundreds of years, green tea was used to relieve headaches and depression in China. The habit of drinking tea has been passed on and today it is becoming popular because of the many benefits being discovered by regularly drinking this relaxing drink.

Tea is actually available in many forms and varieties but basically there are three distinctively different types.

Whether black, green, or red, all tea starts from the harvesting of a warm weather evergreen known as Camellia Sinensis. Once the leaves are processed, this is where the differences in the end product happen.

The more processed the leaves are, the darker the tea becomes, which means that green tea has had the least processing.

Green tea is usually processed by quickly steaming the leaves, while black and red teas are dried, crushed and fermented, making them appear stronger and more potent.

Don’t be misled by this visible characteristic, as many believe that the closer it is to its natural state, the more valuable the medicinal and healing properties.

All tea is known to contain polyphenols which is known for giving tea its antioxidant properties and antioxidants are believed to protect our bodies from free radical damage.

The measure of antioxidants is known as the ORAC score and tea ranks higher than many fruits and vegetables so including them into your daily diet is something to be strongly considered.

In addition to preventing unwanted blood clotting, it has been shown that polyphenols may lower cholesterol levels. Drinking four to six cups a day may also decrease the risk of gastric, esophageal and skin cancers. A simple internet search will give you a long list of ailments, aches, and pains that can be cured through the daily intake of this non-prescription drink.

Among some of the better known of these are treatment and prevention of cancer, reduction of the risk of heart disease, relief from rheumatoid arthritis treatment of impaired immune functions.

Drinking tea also aids us against digestive disorders, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s while increasing metabolism and fat oxidation. It is even said that green tea helps prevent tooth decay because it kills the bacteria which causes dental plaque.

Regardless of the reason you might have for drinking green tea, it’s clear that everyone can derive some benefit from daily consumption.

It should be stated that many of today’s more popular “herbal teas” may or may not be tea at all because these products have already been blended with herbs and spices with other plant parts included for flavoring.

They do not contain the health promoting qualities of Camellia Sinensis. Be careful when buying these products. Check the ingredients to make sure you are buying the product that you expect.