Jasmine tea originated in China and Jasmine green tea is a combination of green tea and jasmine. Along with all the components of green tea, it also contains essential oil with aromatic and terpenoids properties of jasmine. Major benefit of drinking jasmine tea is it helps in reducing weight. Dieticians recommend one cup jasmine tea every night before sleep as it helps in increasing metabolism rate and induce sleep given it soothes the body and relaxes the muscles. So jasmine tea can be described a spa which rejuvenates the body.
8 Amazing Health Benefits of Jasmine tea
1. Antioxidant Property
In a comparative antioxidant activity study done on seven different types of tea in 2015 shows that jasmine tea has the highest antioxidant activity. As jasmine tea contains highest total catechin that is 270 mg/g. Another reason for its highest antioxidant activity is that both jasmine and green tea acts with each other in a synergistic way to provide the maximum health benefits to the tea drinker (2).
2. Prevents gastrointestinal cancer
Gastrointestinal cancer is the highest common cause of cancer death in the world. In a study done in 2008 in China, it was proved that consuming jasmine green tea causes the reduction of Gastrointestinal cancer (1).
3. Anti Inflammatory
Drinking jasmine tea helps in preventing inflammatory diseases which further helps in stopping many chronic diseases like arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, hepatitis and other neurodegenerative diseases.
4. Antimicrobial
One cup jasmine tea daily helps the body in the fight against many deadly microbial pathogens. A research was done on the food born pathogens and it was found that jasmine tea is very effective in killing pathogens related to food thus proving its antimicrobial properties. Jasmine tea acts against listeria which causes listeriosis (4).
5. Healthy heart
Catechins present in jasmine tea helps in reducing lipid absorption, prevents vascular inflammation and suppress platelet adhesion thus helps in regulating cardiovascular related diseases(6).
6. Anticarcinogenic
Jasmine tea is rich in catechins a type of polyphenols which is present in green tea. Polyphenols are effective against cancer by reducing oxidative stress and modulate carcinogenic metabolism (5).
7. Induces Sleep
Jasmine tea helps in inducing sleep, in a study done in 2005 it was found that the aromatic compound present in jasmine has a sedative effect. It helps in calm down the mood by autonomic nerve activity (3).
8. Weight loss
Jasmine tea due to its high antioxidant content helps in increasing metabolic rate of the body. The high metabolic rate is, therefore, helps in reducing extra fat and thus controls the weight. Consuming jasmine tea with a pinch of cinnamon also helps in controlling hunger this again indirectly helps in reducing weight.
Jasmine tea side effects
1. High in caffeine
Jasmine tea is basically green tea with jasmine for its aromatic property. Green tea contains 30-60 mg of caffeine per cup. Drinking jasmine tea one cup per day is safe but the excess drinking of jasmine tea causes increase amount of caffeine deposition in the body which causes many types of disorder.
2. Anaemia
High consumption of jasmine green tea leads to anemia. As green tea contains tannins which hinder the absorption of iron in blood as tannins bind themselves with blood and thus causes anemia. Therefore anemic persons should avoid drinking jasmine green tea (7).
3. Pregnancy
Jasmine green tea due to its caffeine contains should be avoided during pregnancy. Also, jasmine tea has its aromatic property which may affect some pregnant women, therefore, doctors consult should be taken before consuming jasmine tea.
4. Dehydration
Jasmine tea because of its green tea content acts as a diuretic agent. Excess consumption of tea, therefore, causes excess urination leading to loss of many important salts and minerals from the body. Other side effects of dehydration are a headache, changes heat rate and distress (8).
References
- https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10552-009-9394-z
- Alappat et al 2015. Anticancer and Antioxidant Properties of Flavored Green Tea Extracts. Journal of Agriculture and Life Sciences ISSN 2375-4214 (Print), 2375-4222, Vol 2(1).
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-1402-8
- Kim S. et al 2004. J Food Prot. 67(11), 2608-12.
- https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs00204-008-0372-0
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=18691042
- https://dx.doi.org/10.1002%2Fccr3.707
- Nawab and Farooq et al 2015, The Pharma Innovation Journal; 4(1): 21-24
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