Jasmine Tea
Proven Health Benefits of Jasmine Tea
- Jasmine tea can boost brain function and increase alertness
- Jasmine tea is beneficial for oral health
- Jasmine tea helps remove LDL and cholesterol from circulation, and hence prevents cardiovascular diseases
- Jasmine tea increases basal metabolic rate and helps your body burn calories faster to aid weight loss.
- Jasmine tea is a rich source of antioxidants, and goes a long way to slow down ageing and prevent tumors and cancers
What is Jasmine Tea?
Jasmine, Jasminum officinale (common) or J. sambac (Arabian), is a short shrub and one of the oldest and most popular scented plants to be cultivated. The scent of jasmine flowers, which are almost irresistible, is projected to be a component in about 90% of women’s perfume and 35% of men’s. Jasmine, as of 1934 was adopted by the Philippine’s government as the national flower. Since ancient China, jasmine has been more than just a scent to be worn, and has been blended into teas and other beverages. Jasmine tea is basically a base of tea (Camellia sinensis), which has been taken over by the sweet smell of jasmine. To make this, the tea leaves are put together with petals of jasmine or the whole flower in storage, so that the tea may imbibe the flower’s scent. The process is repeated until a desirable aroma is achieved. Jasmine tea, normally, has green tea as the base, although oolong and black tea may also be used.
What is the Usefulness of Jasmine Tea?
Xanthic bases in tea, caffeine and theophylline, have been known to stimulate wakefulness, help idea generation and decrease the sense of fatigue.1 They also trigger psychoactive activity and have vasodilator and diuretic effect. Polyphenols in tea are also known to be anti-carcinogenic, preventing cancers of the skin, mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver and lungs. They increase apoptosis of tumor cells and decrease their proliferation. Epigallocatechin gallate, a polyphenol in tea is known to topically prevent carcinogenesis by UV.2 In addition to the polyphenols, fluoride in tea promotes oral health.
Health benefits
- Antioxidant
- Anticholinesterase
- Anti-inflammatory
- Suppress the growth and spread of cancer cells
- Removes LDL cholesterol
- Mind stimulation and alertness
- Antifungal
- Antiviral
Nutrition
Most of the nutritional value of jasmine tea is contributed to by the tea base, which is usually green tea. Green tea is loaded with three main phytochemicals, namely xanthic bases, including caffeine, theophylline and thearubigin, essential oils and polyphenols, of which epigallocatechin gallate is chief.3 These are the main player in its potent antioxidant activity. Additionally, green tea is rich in Vitamin C.
Toxicity
There are a few concerns that the irresistible scents of jasmine encourage over-consumption of tea, because one can just not have enough. Restraint, then, is encouraged here, because tea does contain caffeine, even if it is about just a sixth as in an equivalent cup of coffee. Over-consumption of tea may also inhibit iron absorption, and so it is advised that pregnant women and other persons at risk of anemia either skip their tea breaks or take tea sparingly.