Two of the most popular tea types are so ubiquitous you probably think of them right away: herbal tea and green tea. As much as there are similarities, they greatly differ in formation, their ingredients, health benefits, and tastes. In this blog, we’ll outline difference between herbal tea and green tea and thus help you determine which one is the best for your purposes.
Knowing Green Tea
Green tea is derived from the plant called Camelliae sinensis which is a species of ever green shrub originally grown in east Asia. As for green tea, the leaves are steamed or pan fried immediately after they are harvested similar to black tea processing minimize oxidation but such processing retains antioxidants at a very high level. The major plant antioxidants identified in green tea are called catechins, of which several studies indicate contain numerous health advantages. This tea has a background that dates back and may have been one of the most important drinks in ancient China and Japan. It is low in bitterness, it has qualities of fresh grass, and can also depend on the kind and how it is processed. There is Sencha green tea, Matcha green tea, and Gyokuro green tea among many others.
Discovering Herbal Tea
Herbal tea is not prepared from Camellia sinensis plant leaves. But it is a steeping of varied spices, petals, berries, nuts, or rhizomes. There are many subgroups within this rather broad category when it comes to flavors and scents. There are two categories, one prepared from flowers such as chamomile tea, and the other from things like peppermint leaves used in preparing peppermint tea. Unfortunately, herbal blends do not declare caffeine or a certain amount of caffeine may be contained in them, depending on the ingredients. It is evidenced that they have been used in traditional therapy to enhance health and to relax their minds.
Origin:
Green tea beverages — Only from leaves of Camellia sinensis
Herbal Tea: Coming from other plants, neither did we see the Camellia sinensis.
Health Benefits:
a) Green Tea: The tea is rich in phytochemicals like flavonols-catechins that aids in weight loss, improved brain abilities, and it may have disease preventing attributes.
b) Herbal Tea: It can have various health effects depending on the kind of herbs to be consumed; for instance, chamomile will enhance sleep and ginger treats digestion.
Taste Profile:
a) Green Tea: In general it is more or less chlorophyll tasting or something like that; more often it is fresh and crisp with the character of grass.
b) Herbal Tea: It is bitter to varying degrees depending on the ingredients; may be fruity and floral or spicy or earthy.
Antioxidants:
a) Green Tea: Has catechins, and other antioxidants.
b) Herbal Tea: Different specific herbs have varying antioxidant content; the majority of herbal teas comes out as less antioxidant than a cup of green tea.
Benefits of Green Tea
a) Enhancing Brain Power: Green tea that contains caffeine combined with L-theanine will increase the function of the brain when given relaxation effects without the nervous effect.
b) Disease Prevention Support: Some works show that green tea may be effective in decreasing the probabilities for particular types of cancer or Alzheimer’s disease.
Herbal Tea and Its Benefits
The unique herbal teas are different based on the ingredients used:
a) Chamomile Tea: Famed for its calming effects and generally administered to make one sleepy.
b) Peppermint Tea: Traditionally applied to assist in the treatment of digestive problems and headaches.
c) Ginger Tea: Generally known to assist those with nausea and to reduce inflammation.
d) Hibiscus Tea: Might assist in decreasing blood pressure due to its anticancer activity via antioxidants.
Conclusion
If you are in need of a drink that will give you energy, but will not work like coffee or a drink high in caffeine, then green tea is more appropriate.
Also, herbal tea can be more preferable for those who want to refrain from caffeine but want to have varied flavors and possible health benefits for their digestive systems.