A soothing and rejuvenating cup of English breakfast tea has many amazing benefits including detoxifying the body, reducing cholesterol levels, improving heart health, and promoting mental health.
What is English Breakfast Tea?
More than 80 years old, English breakfast tea or English tea is a blend of Assam black tea, Ceylon tea, and Kenyan tea. It is one of the most famously consumed tea on the English breakfast table, partly why its called by its unique name.
This tea has a rich and tangy flavor, somewhat similar to malt, and is accompanied by either milk or lemon. It has a very soothing aroma with slight notes of raisins. English breakfast tea takes a deep red color when infused. It is also high in caffeine.
Nutrition
Essentially calorie-free, English breakfast tea is a powerhouse of nutrients as it contains potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It also has a rich supply of B vitamins, including folate, as well as minerals such as fluoride that promote dental health. English breakfast tea boasts of various antioxidants including polyphenols such as theaflavins and thearubigins.
- Calories: 0
- Calories from fat: 0
- Total fat: 0 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 micrograms
- Sodium: 0 micrograms
- Carbohydrates: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
Drinking English breakfast tea is like drinking water as far as calories go. However, unlike water, the tea contains healthy antioxidants and minerals such as:
- Polyphenols (catechins, theaflavins, and thearubigins)
- Flavonoids
- Lipoproteins
- L-theanine (an amino acid)
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Folate
- Fluoride
English Breakfast Tea Benefits
The rich flavonoid content of English breakfast tea gives it many benefits including the improvement of arterial health, a likely reduction in the risk of cancer, and better dental health. Let us take a look at all the wonderful benefits of this tea.
- Detoxifies the Body – Rich in flavonoids, thearubigins, and theaflavins, black tea is an amazing antioxidant tea. It helps in fighting free radical damage in the body and promotes overall health. The antioxidants present in this tea also help slow the signs of aging.
- Eliminates Stress – Recent studies suggest that black tea helps in reducing the cortisol levels in your body that is the major stress hormone. Hence, English breakfast tea, being a black tea blend, eliminates stress. [rx]
- Reduces Cholesterol Levels – Regular consumption of this black tea blend has been shown to lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the body, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. It also aids in increasing the HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the body, thanks to its high antioxidant content. [rx]
- Promotes Weight Loss – By promoting the growth of good bacteria in the gut, English breakfast tea helps improve digestion. Not just that, this tea also gives a push to our energy metabolism in the liver, thereby promoting weight loss.
- Improves Heart Health – Drinking English breakfast tea regularly has been shown to open blocked arteries, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Black tea also lowers blood glucose levels, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels in the body. Thus, helping promote overall heart health. [rx]
- Increases Concentration – Thanks to the caffeine content in black tea, which is about 40-70 mg in a single cup, half of that is found in coffee, English breakfast tea acts as a great wake-up drink. This also partly makes for the reason how this tea gets its name. This tea also helps keep you alert and your mood refreshed while you go about your day.
- Keeps you Hydrated – English breakfast tea, being rich in caffeine, serves as a good hydrating agent. 2-3 cups of this black tea make sure that your body doesn’t miss out on any of the essential water content.
- Anticancer Potential – A study published in the International Journal of Oncology suggests that the presence of a compound called theaflavin-3′-monogallate or TF-2 in black tea might serve as a potential anti-angiogenic agent for cancer treatment. According to a team of Polish researchers, black tea is an antioxidative agent that protects against cellular damage caused due to unstable molecules known as free radicals. This, in turn, reduces the risk of cancer. [rx] [rx]
- It can de-stress you (and keep you looking young and trim) – A recent study by UCL suggested tea may make your cortisol levels – the stress hormone that contributes to belly fat and makes your skin age quicker – spikeless. The study, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, found that people who drank tea were able to de-stress more quickly than those who drank a fake tea substitute. Furthermore, the study participants – who drank a black tea concoction four times a day for six weeks – were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood after a stressful event, compared with a control group who drank the fake or placebo tea for the same period of time.
- It can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke – A researcher at the Boston University School of Medicine conducted a study of 70 people with coronary arteries that were at least 70 percent blocked. After drinking black tea (English breakfast tea is a black tea blend) instead of other beverages for four weeks, blood vessel functioning improved by nearly 50 percent, leading Dr. Vita to conclude that drinking tea can prevent or reverse some types of artery diseases and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. They concluded that this is because tea’s concentration of flavonoids, plant compounds that behave as antioxidants, prevents the formation of plaque in artery walls.
- It can prevent cancer – Drinking English breakfast tea might also keep cancer at bay. Researchers at Rutgers University identified a compound in black tea known as theaflavin-3′-monogallate, or TF-2, that caused colorectal cancer cells to destroy themselves without harming normal cells. In addition, they found that TF-2 suppressed Cox 2, a gene that is often associated with colon cancer.
- It can increase your memory – Drink a cup of tea before you head into the boardroom. Extensive research has shown that the combination of caffeine and L-Theanine, a naturally occurring amino acid found in tea, improves reaction time and memory while increasing focus and concentration.
- Improves Dental Health – The amazing fluoride content of black tea helps prevent tooth decay and promotes gum health. A comparative study of children drinking English tea vs. drinking carbonated beverages showed tooth decay among the latter. Thus proving black tea infused with sugar to be a healthy option.
- Treats Kidney Stones – By providing your body with all the necessary fluids, English breakfast tea can help prevent the formation of kidney stones and thereby maintain kidney health.
A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that black tea consumption may help lower cholesterol levels in high-cholesterol adults. The study, conducted on 15 people over the course of three weeks, found that five servings of black tea per day lowered total cholesterol levels by 6.5 percent.
Other
There are a few other benefits of this tea that include the following:
- Improves bone health
- Promotes the production of red blood cells
- Treats asthma and improves respiratory health
Irish vs English Breakfast Tea
There are a few key differences between Irish breakfast tea and English breakfast tea, they include the following.
- Blend: While English breakfast tea has more of a Ceylon and Kenyan tea blend, with slight notes of Assam, Irish breakfast tea has a strong Assamese influence.
- Taste: English breakfast tea has a milder flavor than Irish breakfast tea. English breakfast tea can also be mixed with milk and sugar for a more robust taste.
- Color: Both varieties of tea have a similar color (reddish-yellow).
- Accompaniments: English tea tastes divine with toasts and avocado chocolate chip cookies, while Irish breakfast tea tastes well with wheat and a honey scone and carrot cake.
How to Make English Breakfast Tea: Easy Recipe
Make a perfect cup of the UK’s favorite tea!
- Course: Tea
- Cuisine: British
- Keyword: English Breakfast Tea
- Appliance: Saucepan, Tea Strainer, Teapot, Kettle
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Steeping time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tsp English Breakfast tea leaves
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp milk or cream optional
- sugar optional
- lemon slice optional
Instructions
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It is important to measure the tea leaves and water to ensure the perfect cup of tea. All loose tea leaves are different but as a standard measure, you can use 1 teaspoon of tea leaves for a cup of water.
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Boil water in a kettle or a saucepan. Never reboil the water as it will change the way the tea tastes.
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Remove the water from heat and add the tea leaves. Let it infuse the water for 2 minutes. Timing it correctly is important because it will affect the strength of the tea.
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A perfect black English Breakfast is ready. Add sugar and lemon or milk and sugar as per taste.
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If you like a creamy English Breakfast, you can add milk and let it blend for an additional 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can add milk or cream after the tea infusion is ready. This can help you judge the correct amount of milkiness of your tea.
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If you are using a traditional teapot, pour the tea infusion after straining the tea leaves into the pot. Enjoy your English Breakfast tea with cucumber sandwiches or a scone!
Word of Caution: As with any other product, be it tea or juice, moderation while consumption is advised. Make sure to consult your doctor before consumption if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
From Where To Buy
Twinings Irish Breakfast Individually Wrapped Tea Bags, 20 Count Pack of 6, Caffeinated, Flavourful, Robust Black Tea
- TWININGS TRIBUTE TO THE IRISH: We've created a bold, rich tea blend that symbolized the Irish love of hearty black tea; Leaves from four regions for added body flavour and strength; Caffeinated, 20 Count, Pack of 6
- BOLD & HEARTY BLACK TEA: Bold taste from teas grown in Assam's tropical climate; Rich, amber colour from teas grown in the fertile terra rossa soil of Kenya; Black tea is best when steeped 3-5 minutes in 100°C heated water
- INDIVIDUALLY SEALED TEA BAGS STAY FRESH: Take your tea on the go in your purse, workout bag, backpack, school or work desk or car; Each tea bag is sealed for freshness so every cup of Twinings is the perfect cup of Twinings
- DRINK IN LIFE: With a signature blend of tradition and innovation, Twinings encourages tea lovers to "Drink In Life" by taking small steps towards feeling good and living well, one sip at a time
- SOURCED WITH CARE: We improve communities we source from with access to water and sanitation; Empowering women; Enhancing incomes and resilience through income diversification and careful farming practices
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