8 reasons why Jasmine tea is good for you

Jasmine tea is a type of tea, scented with the aroma of blossoms from the jasmine plant. It’s typically based on green tea, but sometimes black or white tea is used instead.

Blossoms from common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) or sampaguita (Jasminum sambac) are placed alongside tea leaves in storage or blended with stored tea, allowing the aroma to infuse.

Because jasmine tea is typically made from green tea leaves, it provides many of the same powerful health benefits that you would get from drinking green tea.

Here are 8 reasons why drinking jasmine tea is great for your health:

1. May aid weight loss
Jasmine tea may help losing weight by increasing metabolism. It possesses fat burning properties, thanks to its caffeine content and polyphenol antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Drinking jasmine tea will increase the fat burning process and help you lose weight.

2. Boosts brain function
Jasmine tea contains caffeine and L-theanine that help in boosting brain function. Caffeine is known to increase brain activity and help in releasing dopamine and serotonin, the neurotransmitters that regulate mood; this makes you feel more alert and energised. And L-theanine, an amino acid promotes relaxation and reduces stress without causing drowsiness.

3. Promotes heart health
Jasmine tea is high in polyphenol antioxidants that have been shown to prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidising. Oxidised LDL cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease. Drinking jasmine tea daily will reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

4. Improves oral health
Green tea which is used as a base to make jasmine tea is packed with catechins, a group of polyphenols that may help protect against tooth decay by killing plaque-forming bacteria. Other studies have also shown that drinking jasmine tea can help eliminate bad breath by reducing bacteria in the mouth.

5. May prevent neurodegenerative disorders
The presence of polyphenol antioxidants in jasmine tea may help lower the risk of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Noted studies have shown that people who drink jasmine tea had a lower risk of neurodegenerative disorders than non-tea drinkers.

6. May lower diabetes risk
Jasmine tea made from green tea may decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes due to the presence of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in it. EGCG can help your body use insulin more effectively and lower blood sugar levels, thereby lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

7. May manage cancer risk
As jasmine tea is high in antioxidants, it may reduce the risk of certain cancers. Test-tube and animal studies found that polyphenol antioxidants such as EGCG in green tea can suppress the growth and spread of cancer cells. However, further studies are needed in humans.

8. Enhances skin health
Jasmine tea possesses antioxidants that can help keep your skin healthy. The powerful antioxidants slow down the ageing process by eliminating free radicals that cause wrinkles and skin damage.