What Is Jasmine Tea? Health Benefits of Jasmine Tea
If you have never tried the amazing and fragrant Jasmine tea, you are missing out on a plethora of health benefits. The health benefits of Jasmine Tea include weight loss, improved heart health, reduced stress, boosted immunity, relief from pain and aches. It also aids in skincare.
This refreshing tea comes with a hint of nature’s perfume, offering a special mix of nutrients. Some people like to enjoy it by mixing Jasmine flowers and other botanicals.
Scenting tea with jasmine is an ancient practice that involves patience, skills, and remarkable artistry. Chinese tea growers are among the best ones who can create this complex and delicate tea. Warm weather is the best time to grow this fabulous tea.
The labor-intensive process of harvesting thousands of tiny buds requires concentration and dexterity as well as precise timing.
History of Jasmine Tea?
The tea was first produced around a century ago in China. The scenting process started during the South-Song Dynasty in China but further developed into a regular practice under the Ming Dynasty.
During the early 20th century, this blend became so famous that it soon became a top-selling item. Thanks to increased demand, the production costs also increased. That’s why tea planters began planting jasmine flowers in plants and moved them indoors over the winter.
In the late 19th century, Taiwan started cultivating their own flowers. However, China is still the best producer of Jasmine tea. Jasmine plant grows in the mountains at high elevations. The tea grows in the Chinese provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Guangxi.
Types of Jasmine Tea?
Jasmine green tea is the most common type of jasmine tea. However, jasmine oolong, jasmine black tea, and jasmine white tea are also available. Many variations are jasmine-flavored teas, while others are elaborate blends.
Different types of jasmine teas are also characterized by different leaves that go into their creation. The best type of jasmine tea blend contains a large ratio of buds to leaves. Such a blend has a delicate and subtle flavor than other teas made with fewer buds and larger leaves.
Some types of jasmine teas are available as loose-leaf teas, while others are cut up and available in the form of teabags. Others come in different forms, the most popular of which are ‘jasmine pearls.’ A jasmine pearl is a pea-sized set featuring two buds a leaf.
How Jasmine Tea is Scented
Traditional jasmine tea manufacturers harvest the tea and make it into green tea for storing until the jasmine flower harvests. After that, they use a multi-day process to scent the leaves. Here are the two ways to scent jasmine tea.
The expensive method involves placing fresh jasmine flowers in a warm room on a tray beneath a woven tray of tea leaves. Tea manufacturers replace the tea flowers frequently to give a light aroma and color to the tea at great expense. They sell the aromatic tea after drying and packaging it.
The second and relatively cheaper methods involve preparing jasmine tea using real jasmine flowers. The manufacturers mix the wilted and leftover flowers from the first process with green tea leaves so that they acquire a unique aroma. After drying and packaging, the tea is available for consumers.
In some cases, a few flowers will remain in the tea. Many times, jasmine essential oil comes in handy for flavoring jasmine green tea. Some manufacturers also use a blend of flower flavors or artificial jasmine flavors. Real jasmine essential oil is quite expensive, so not every brand uses it for scenting the tea.
Health Benefits of Jasmine Tea?
Jasmine tea offers a variety of health benefits. Apart from its relaxing aroma and scent, jasmine tea is popular for its therapeutic benefits. That’s why everyone should stick to a regular intake of jasmine tea to enjoy many of its benefits.
Here are some of the many health benefits of jasmine tea.
Boosts Energy
Before you start drinking jasmine tea, you should know that this unique tea utilizes a true tea as a base. Manufacturers use the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to make True teas. We all know that these leaves contain caffeine.
Hence, the content of caffeine in jasmine tea varies according to the type of true tea you use as a base. Generally, green tea is the most common type of true tea used for jasmine tea. A cup of coffee contains around 95 mg, while a cup of green tea has 35 mg of caffeine.
If you want to reduce your caffeine intake, you should stick to green tea for using it as a base for your jasmine tea.
Promotes Weight Loss
If you are finding it hard to lose weight the natural way, trust the weight-loss abilities of jasmine tea. The tea, with its use of green tea leaves, speeds up the metabolism. As a result, you are able to speed up the metabolism and process nutrients quicker. Your body processes important nutrients like protein and fat easily and quickly.
According to a Japanese study, individuals who regularly consume green tea enjoy a higher resting metabolic rate than people who don’t. If you want to burn more fats and calories, even when you are watching the television, consume jasmine tea regularly. This low-calorie beverage offers a unique, natural way to burn your calories. Avoid adding sugar or honey to your daily dose of jasmine tea.
May Prevent Cancer
In modern society, cancer is a common ailment. Our focus should always be on prevention, as there is enough scientific evidence to believe that consuming jasmine tea prevents cancer by eliminating free radicals.
Pollutants in our environment and our diet can lead to abnormalities in cells, leading to free radical damage. As a result, we become vulnerable to many types of cancers and neurological diseases.
Jasmine tea can offer significant antioxidant benefits when you mix it with green tea. However, you can also brew it with black tea leaves and enjoy the same benefits. Black tea contains good levels of theaflavins which offer plenty of health benefits.
Thanks to these antioxidants and polyphenols, jasmine tea can cure many types of cancers. According to another study, tea polyphenols can also slow down cell proliferation to reduce the rapid progression of mutated cells. Drink jasmine tea and reap its cancer-fighting benefits to slow down the production of mutated cells.
Protects Heart Health
If you want to maintain a healthy heart, don’t forget to add jasmine tea to your daily diet. That’s because the powerful antioxidants in jasmine tea can guarantee a healthy heart. People who drink a few cups of jasmine tea every day can reduce the risk of many life-threatening diseases. Since high LDL levels often result in enlarged arteries and veins, you can become susceptible to blood clots which lead to heart attacks.
If you want to enjoy a healthy life, your heart must be in good condition. The same antioxidants in jasmine tea that protect you from cancer can help the body combat heart diseases. Thanks to the presence of catechins in jasmine tea, you can lower LDL cholesterol, which results in the inflammation of veins and arteries. This bad cholesterol is the reason why most people are developing hypertension and many heart diseases.
Reduces Stress
Another powerful benefit of jasmine tea is that it relieves stress levels. With its soothing aroma and robust nutrients, jasmine tea can instantly uplift your mood and energy levels. Since jasmine tea works directly on your senses, you experience calming effects even before drinking your first sip.
Studies reveal that olfactory senses have a strong connection to relaxation. When you inhale the sweet aroma of a freshly-brewed cup of jasmine tea, it triggers a parasympathetic response releasing chemicals that help the body unwind and relax. Other studies also reveal that the aroma of jasmine tea has sedative effects which mean it could help reduce panic attack and help you enjoy better sleep.
The invigorating taste and the sweet aroma of jasmine tea help you unwind after a long day.
Prevents Type 2 Diabetes
When the human body is unable to produce or regulate insulin levels, it develops a medical condition called Type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle choices and genetic factors are among the most common causes of diabetes.
Consuming jasmine green tea regularly can help the body control or prevent diabetes. That’s because jasmine tea regulates our insulin levels. According to research findings, green tea leaves contain powerful antioxidants that lower blood glucose levels in animals. These results indicate that there is a possibility that jasmine green tea can prevent us from type 2 diabetes.
Boosts Immunity
Like other beneficial natural teas, jasmine tea holds excellent antioxidant and inflammatory properties. People who consume this gift of nature enjoy stronger immune systems. If you are tired of relying on over-the-counter medicines for combating the common cold and flu, jasmine tea may be the best remedy for your immunity.
Thanks to its large amounts of minerals and vitamins, jasmine tea strengthens immunity and protects the body against many types of viruses and infections.
Relieves Pains and Aches
Its powerful anti-inflammatory properties relieve common problems like joint pain. When you mix jasmine tea with green tea, you boost its healing effects and reduce inflammation to relieve pain. You can get the same benefits by mixing jasmine tea with black tea to relieve conditions like rheumatoid arthritis without experiencing any negative effects.
Improves Skin
Jasmine flowers, jasmine essential oil, and jasmine tea offer excellent ways to take care of your skin. With its antioxidants, regular use of jasmine tea flushes out toxins to improve blood circulation. As a result, your skin looks healthier and younger.
Thousands of women drink jasmine tea to benefit from its powerful healing effects. This fabulous tea contains polyphenols, which slow down the natural aging process and eliminate free-radical damage. Regular consumption of jasmine tea guarantees reduced wrinkles and younger-looking skin. These polyphenols are also beneficial for reducing fine lines and evening out pigmentation. Some women even wash their faces with a cooled cup of jasmine tea to get the most out of its benefits.
Potential Side effects of Jasmine Tea?
There is just one thing to remember. Avoid drinking jasmine tea in excess. That especially goes for all ladies who are pregnant. Get your doctor’s approval and drink the tea in moderation to avoid any complications. Since jasmine tea also includes catechins, excessive intake of jasmine tea could reduce the body’s ability to absorb iron from your diet. That’s why catechins can increase the risk of iron deficiency, anemia.
Another thing to know is that jasmine tea can increase metabolism. That means you should avoid drinking the tea on an empty stomach. Since it is a little acidic, jasmine tea can lead to stomach discomfort.
While some people choose to drink jasmine tea to boost their metabolism or as a workout aid, excessive consumption can result in intestinal discomfort or pain.
Nonetheless, there is a wide range of benefits of drinking jasmine tea.
How to Make Jasmine Tea
If you want to enjoy a perfect cup of well-brewed jasmine tea, use filtered water to simmer (not boil) around 190F. You only need three minutes to prepare jasmine tea. While a teaspoon of jasmine tea is enough for one cup, you can use it according to your taste and preference.
Adjust the quantity of water or follow directions in case you are using jasmine flowers or jasmine pearls. Enjoy the fabulous aftertaste and the soft aroma of jasmine tea.
Bottom Line
Now you know about the many health benefits of jasmine tea and a little about its history. Thousands of people benefit from the amazing features of jasmine tea to boost their immunity and stay healthy. Before adding jasmine tea to your diet, don’t forget to get your doctor’s approval and inquire about the right dosage to enjoy its benefits.
The delicious and healthy tea is easy to add to your diet. You can purchase jasmine tea as loose leaves, tea bags, or pearls.
About the Author
Lori Bogedin is a health and wellness writer and editor of TwigsCafe.com. She is in the restaurant business since 1999. In 2016 she was named one of the "Top Women in Business" by Northeastern Pennsylvania Business Journal.
