Both black and green teas come from the leaves of the same plant. The main difference being in the processing of the leaves. Green tea leaves are not processed as much as black and consequently, their nutrient content is also different. Both green tea and black tea have amazing health benefits but if you’re still debating about whether to choose green tea or black tea, looking deeper into the difference between green and black tea can help you make your choice.
Black Tea vs Green Tea: The Difference
Green Tea
Green tea leaves do not undergo 100% oxidation process, and thus, retain key nutrients. Another benefit of green tea is that it contains much less caffeine than black tea and only a fourth of the caffeine found in a cup of coffee.
The fermentation process for green tea ensures that more polyphenols are preserved, making it rich in antioxidants. The lack of oxidation also makes it extremely rich in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is a very beneficial antioxidant. When combined with the right diet and exercise it can help in weight reduction. Pure organic green tea also aids in detoxification which can boost overall health.
How to brew a perfect cup of green tea
Heat 220 ml of water to 80°C or til it just starts to boil. Pour it over 2.5 gms of green tea leaves in a pot. Cover it and let it brew for 3 minutes. Then strain and serve. While a dash of lemon or honey can be added, sugar or milk is generally not preferable.
Black Tea
Unlike green tea, the EGCG in black tea is lost during the fermentation process. So, when it comes to antioxidants, green tea has a clear upper hand. Black tea also contains more caffeine than green tea, about one-third of the caffeine in a cup of coffee. It is also more acidic than green tea – but this can be brought down by adding a dash of lemon to it. Black tea might not score as high as green tea on the health metre, but is still beneficial to the body.
How to brew a perfect cup of black tea:
Bring 220ml of water to boil at 100°C. Add the hot water to two and half grams of black tea leaves. Let it brew for four minutes after which strain and pour into a cup. Lemon, sugar, cream or milk can be added according to your preference.
Caffeine content
If you were wondering if green tea has more caffeine than black tea then the answer is no. While green tea contains between 9 to 50 milligrams of caffeine per cup, black tea offers 42 to 72 milligrams.
Benefits of Black tea vs Green tea
Although green and black tea both contain antioxidants which may aid in the prevention of cancer and other diseases, green tea comes out ahead of black tea in cancer prevention. As green tea is processed minimally, it has more antioxidants than black tea making it a great beverage to include in your weight loss diet. Put black tea vs green tea on a list of which is a better beverage and green tea will definitely win the healthier beverage award.
So, if you’ve been wondering which is better green tea or black tea. Here you have it. Make your choice and enjoy your drink. Either way, you cannot go wrong as they both are healthy in their own way.
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