Considered to be the most popular drink in the Eastern world, tea is slowly replacing the usual cup of coffee in the Western world as well. Its low amount of caffeine and its antioxidant properties are two of the main reasons why more and more people are picking a pack of tea from the supermarket.

Studies have shown that tea contains several beneficial chemicals, including flavinoids, amino acids, vitamins and several polysaccharides. While there is a variety of tea available in the market, there are five main types commonly used by tea drinkers around the world. These are black tea, green tea, oolong tea, white tea and pu-erh tea.

All these varieties are derived from the same plant, that is, Camellia sinensis. However, the different ways in which these are processed renders a distinct flavor to each of these varieties. Let’s take a look at these five types of teas and find about their health benefits as well.

#1 – Black Tea

It’s high caffeine content and strong flavor makes black tea a popular drink among coffee drinkers. Known as red tea in China, this variety retains its flavors for many years. The tea is blended with various other ingredients to make flavored teas such as chai and the Irish breakfast. The tea can easily be brewed with your favorite herbs and spices such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper to get the flavor of your choice.

Black tea can be brewed from four to fifteen minutes depending on the flavor and the ingredients being added to it. While black tea can give you that instant energy boost whenever you need, it has also been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases as well as reverse lung damage caused by cigarette smoking. Addition of various herbs and spices can help improve digestion and relieve cold and flu symptoms as well.