If you’re looking for something that can reduce acute or chronic inflammation caused by a poor lifestyle or aging, tea is a great option. However; with so many variations of tea available in the market is hard to know which tea is the best for inflammation. So, what tea is good for inflammation?
What Tea Is Good for Inflammation?
The tea variations that are good for inflammation are green tea, ginger tea, turmeric tea, black tea, tulsi tea, and chamomile tea. These tea variations contain very important catechins called epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG. These catechins are natural antioxidants that keep your cells healthy and prevent inflammation and damage.
These anti-inflammatory tea variations can help prevent the development of more severe diseases. Chronic inflammation can result in heart attack, stroke, and other autoimmune disorders if not treated well. A healthy lifestyle plus a cup of tea can play a role in helping to keep inflammation down.
Aside from preventing or reducing inflammation, these teas can also offer a lot of health benefits overall. They contain heavy amounts of antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals.
Black Tea
Black tea is effective in reducing inflammation because it contains a polyphenol called theaflavin. It can also improve your overall health. Black tea comes in different types, from classic to flavored black tea. Black tea is good on its own or can be enjoyed with milk or sweetener.
Chamomile Tea
According to the study published in the PMC Labs, chamomile extract can prevent the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) which is highly responsible for inflammation and even in the growth of cancer cells. Chamomile is also known to boost the immune system.
It has a soothing effect that is often used as a remedy for colds, coughs, and body pain. Chamomile tea can be enjoyed with honey or with other herbs.
Cinnamon Tea
Another study published in PubMed says that cinnamon is one of the most effective anti-inflammatory foods. Cinnamon tea is a good tea to drink whether you are suffering from acute inflammation or a chronic one, and can help in reducing pain.
Clove Tea
Clove essential oil, also known as CEO, has antioxidants, antiviral, antimicrobial, anticancer, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Clove is a wonderful tea with a bit of sweetness and spice.
Ginger Tea
Ginger is well-known to be a good spice for many foods all around the world. Moreover, it is also known to have anti-inflammatory features and has other medicinal benefits. Ginger can be used for arthritis, body pain, and other inflammation. Ginger is also known to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Green Tea
Green tea is high in antioxidants that can help fight free radicals inside our bodies. It also has some neuroprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, antiarthritic properties. Green tea is rich in polyphenol EGCG which is known to reduce inflammation and other chronic illnesses caused by inflammation.
Holy Basil
Holy basil is also known as tulsi. It is known to reduce pain from arthritis, gout, and other inflammatory conditions. Holy basil tea can also lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
Licorice Tea
Licorice root is known to have anti-inflammation properties, too. Licorice tea has a naturally sweet flavor that balances spicy or strong tea such as turmeric and ginger tea. However, too much licorice can also increase your blood pressure. So, drink it in moderation.
Turmeric Tea
Another flavorful and anti-inflammatory tea is turmeric tea. It is widely used as a natural food flavoring and herbal medicine. It has a component called curcumin that promotes health and reduces inflammation. It is also known to prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s disease in some cases.
White Tea
Similar to green and black teas, white tea is also effective in reducing inflammation in your body. Compared to green tea and black tea, it has low caffeine. Because of this, it makes it a better option for people who prefer not to drink beverages that are high in caffeine.
Types of Inflammation
Inflammation can be mild or severe and can lead to more serious diseases. This is where different types of teas come into play. Most teas on our list can help in overcoming the inflammations in your body.
Here are the two most popular types of inflammation, their symptoms, their causes, and some teas that can prevent or reduce them.
Acute Inflammation
- Caused by the injury or infection that can cause swelling and pain
- Redness can be noticed around your skin and joints
- Swollen body parts can be visible after a few hours or a day
- Symptoms can be felt within a few days of inflammation
- Can easily be treated
- Body pain can be solved by painkillers
Acute inflammation can be reduced by drinking cinnamon tea, chamomile tea, and holy basil tea. These teas can help alleviate the pain and swelling that you are experiencing.
Chronic Inflammation
- This inflammation does not go away so easily
- In this kind of inflammation, white blood cells can also attack healthy cells which causes additional problems
- It can result in more complications such as a heart attack, stroke, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases
- Smoking, stress, obesity, low levels of sex hormones, and fatty foods can cause chronic inflammation
- Aging can also be the reason behind this kind of inflammation
For chronic inflammation, you can choose ginger tea, green tea, black tea, white, tea, clove tea, and turmeric tea. These teas have lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce and even heal inflammation.
Related Questions
Does Matcha Green Tea Reduce Inflammation?
Similar to regular green tea, matcha green tea contains anti-inflammatory properties which reduce inflammation. It can also help in reducing the pain and soreness of your affected body part. Though matcha green tea is in powder form, it does not reduce its ability to decrease inflammation.
What Is the Strongest Anti-Inflammatory Tea?
Turmeric is one of the most popular and strongest anti-inflammatory teas that people have been using since early times. It has a very active antioxidant quality that can reduce free radicals in your body making you healthier and helping to reduce inflammation.
Conclusion
There are several teas that are good for inflammation. Choosing between those teas can be a little difficult. Nevertheless, all of them are effective in preventing and helping alleviate inflammation in your body. Choosing which teas are best can also be based on your taste preference and the type of inflammation that you might be experiencing.
Scott is the founder of TeaMinded. He enjoys tasting and discovering teas from across the globe, with green teas and ceremonial matcha from Japan being among his favorites. He’s grateful to be immersed in the tea community, always learning and sharing along the journey.
