I heard it again this morning – from Dr Oz’s own mouth on GMA: green tea is good for your teeth! I’m so glad that I switched from coffee to tea a few years ago. I used to LOVE coffee – everything about it, the smell, the morning ritual and the taste, however, it started to make me jittery. I love hot beverages throughout the day, even in the Summer, as they’re soothing and something of a daily ritual, so I thought okay – let’s try switching to tea and see how it goes. I’ve never looked back and am totally obsessed with all kinds of teas. I kick-start my morning with a cup of black tea (with coconut milk,) and mid-morning start on my green teas. I drink at least 4 cups of green, white or oolong tea a day, so am thrilled every time I hear studies bringing out yet another proven health benefit of green tea.
One of the reasons why green tea is associated with healthy teeth and gums is that it contains a powerful antioxidant called catechin, which help to reduce inflammation in the body. Green tea also contains a natural fluoride, which helps guard against tooth decay, and the high concentration of polyphenols have anti-plaque properties, which also help with oral bacteria, which causes gum disease and tooth decay.
So what are the best kinds of green tea you can drink? Green Tea is an umbrella term which refers to white tea, green tea, oolong, and black tea.
The difference between the 3 is the roasting time and therefore how oxidized the tea is. White tea is obviously the least processed, so contains the highest concentration of polyphenols, and black tea the least. My favorite white tea is called Silver Needle – it produces a deep amber colored beverage and the taste is heavenly. Next up is green tea, then oolong and finally black tea.
The caffeine content is also reflective in the color of your tea – less in white and most in black.
The most important thing is that you buy loose-leaf tea, as opposed to tea bags. For the most part, the lowest quality tea is always used for tea bags. Obviously if you are traveling, bags might be necessary, but go for a really good brand. The companies that I love for loose tea are Teas etc and Strand Tea, both of which have very good quality green tea and a reasonable price. Both companies also see an awesome travel tea mug, which is perfect for brewing on the go.
Brewing times and temperatures are also really important. I have an awesome Cuisinart Tea Kettle with preset buttons for all the different kinds of tea. White tea needs a low temperature brew (170 degrees F), whereas the darker the teas, the hotter the water. Check out my how-to video for more detail on temperatures and how long to brew.
You can also eat green tea! I love to bake with Matcha Green Tea, which is a highly concentrated powder. Check out my Green Tea Muffin recipe – I’m about to make a batch now! Remember green tea has a plethora of health benefits in addition to healthy teeth, so if you haven’t already, make the switch today.
