What is Ceylon tea? This is a good question. And we have a plot twist.. Ceylon tea is not actually a type of tea. This category of tea was actually created because of the region its grown. I’d be willing to bet that you have already had some of this tea without even knowing it. Found out what is considered Ceylon tea below.
What is Ceylon Tea?
As I mentioned Ceylon tea is not a type of tea, it's a tea-growing region. The Ceylon region is essentially the country of Sri Lanka and is where the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, is grown. Tea grown in this region is known as Ceylon because Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon until 1972. This was the name that British colonists originally gave to the region.
So, Ceylon tea comes in all different types. There is Ceylon black tea, white tea and Ceylon green tea. Black Ceylon teas are the most common but green Ceylon and white Ceylon teas also exist. Overall, teas grown in the Ceylon region make up over $1.5 Billion of tea sales.
Furthermore, there are other products with Ceylon in the name to show that they are from this area. In addition to teas, there is also Ceylon rice, Ceylon cinnamon, and more.
Click here to check out some of our teas from the Ceylon region.
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How is Ceylon Tea Made?
You now know the answer to “what is Ceylon tea?” So, you know that it’s not one specific type of tea. There are three main types of Ceylon teas: green, black, and white. Remember, each of these types of teas has their own variations too.
This means that each type of tea has slightly different levels of benefits. Each of the teas helps with all the health benefits listed, however, some are more effective than others. The antioxidants in the Ceylon teas are one of the main reasons for their health benefits.
Green Ceylon Teas
First, green Ceylon teas. Green Ceylon tea is one of the easiest ones. It is made with the fresh leaves of the tea plant. The leaves are only partially fermented and then rolled. This allows them to keep many of their antioxidants.
Black Ceylon Teas
These Ceylon teas are more complicated than any others. This is because they use the stems and the leaves of the tea plant. Black Ceylon tea is made with aged stems and fermented leaves. As a result, black Ceylon tea has the lowest antioxidant content. This type of full bodied tea is great hot, but is also commonly used for iced tea.
White Ceylon Teas
These are the least processed. The leaves can only be hand-picked during a short window of time in the harvest season. The leaves are left to dry in the sun. White Ceylon teas have the most antioxidants because they are not processed.
They are also usually the most expensive. This is because they’re made by hand and are more rare.
What does Ceylon Tea Taste Like?
Next, how does it taste and should I start drinking Ceylon tea? The Ceylon region is not that big. However, the range of physical geography is very big. Thus, there is a large variety of elevation, soil type, and even weather.
Since the climate can be so different, the teas can taste very different. In general, Ceylon teas have a very full and bold taste. Also, because of its region, the teas can have hints of citrus, chocolate, and spices.
Green Ceylon teas have a nutty and highly-flavoured taste. This is because the leaves are almost fresh and are not processed much. In contrast, black tea versions have a mild citrus taste because the leaves are fully fermented. Lastly, white Ceylon tea has the lightest and sweetest taste.
Polyphenols are the main active ingredients in Ceylon teas. This ingredient provides numerous health benefits, but it also gives the teas a tangy taste.
Ceylon Teas Benefits
Let’s make things a little bit complicated for a moment. As I mentioned, polyphenols are the main active ingredient. Here’s where things get a little bit complex. The different types of polyphenols provide different health benefits. Some of these include gallic acid, theogallin, and cinnamic acid.
In addition, some of the other active ingredients in the teas are also very important for your body. These include alkaloids, amino acids, and minerals.
Now that that’s out of the way, we can start to look at the benefits of the teas. Just remember, the ingredients listed above are the reasons for these benefits. Thus, even though they sound scary, we should really be thanking them.
1) Weight Loss
These teas can help you lose weight. They do this for a few reasons. First, green tea extract can help weight loss. More specifically, studies have shown that green Ceylon tea can reduce fat formation. In addition, the extract can increase fat breakdown.
The second reason is more general. That is, these teas can boost your metabolism. When your metabolism increases, your body burns fat faster and more efficiently. So, even if you don’t change any habits, your body will naturally burn more fat. Lastly, black teas can influence weight loss. Although studies are fairly new, they show that some of the active ingredients in black teas can help you lose weight.
2) Heart Health
Ceylon teas contain potassium. This is important to the health of our bodies and heart. Potassium relaxes your veins and arteries. This reduces your blood pressure and reduces the strain on your heart. In addition, some of the active ingredients can reduce bad cholesterol. Lastly, one of the ingredients in green Ceylon tea can help strengthen your arteries. Catechins, found in green teas, can reduce the hardening of arteries to prevent damage and clogging of arteries.
3) Chronic Diseases
The antioxidants in these teas can help prevent many chronic diseases. Some of the other active ingredients can also help with this task. Green and black Ceylon teas can prevent the spread or start of cancer. Many of the ingredients in the teas can prevent ovarian, liver, lung, or prostate cancer. The teas do this by being toxic to the cancer cells. Note that they are not strong enough to cure cancer, they can still make an impact.
4) Diabetes
Ceylon tea can help regulate diabetes and can help prevent diabetes. The green tea version can help reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. In addition, the teas help regulate insulin and blood sugar levels. This reduces the risk of developing diabetes. Also, it helps those with diabetes avoid dangerous spikes and drops in blood sugar. One study showed that drinking green tea before exercising can have an even greater effect.
5) Skin Care
Ceylon tea can help your skin. First, green teas can help protect you against UV radiation. This means that you delay your skin’s ageing. In addition, Ceylon teas can help with healing skin. Applying tea extracts directly to your skin can help wounds heal and reduce scarring.
Lastly, some of the antioxidants in Ceylon teas can help to keep collagen levels up. Collagen helps to keep skin stretchy and strong. Thus, these teas can help your skin look better and feel better.
6) Energy Boost
Tea grown in the Ceylon region has high caffeine content. Thus, Ceylon teas can increase energy levels. Not only does caffeine increase your energy, it makes you more alert and attentive.
In addition, it can help you sleep better and reduce anxiety. Although caffeine has all these benefits, too much of it is not good. Two or three cups of Ceylon tea in a day is a reasonable amount of caffeine. Some of the other active ingredients can also help increase your energy levels.
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7) Kidney Health
Ceylon teas can improve the health of your kidneys. Studies have shown that polyphenols in green Ceylon tea can help protect the kidneys. In addition, it can help the kidneys by getting rid of toxins. However, Ceylon teas can also prevent kidney stones. This is because of the caffeine and antioxidant content.
8) Bone Health
Ceylon teas can benefit your bone health. Drinking the teas can help prevent osteoporosis. This is a condition where the bones become very brittle and fragile. Additionally, studies have shown that drinking tea can help to improve bone strength and density.
Lastly, some of the other active ingredients can have an effect on bone health as well. Some of the ingredients can help prevent inflammatory bone loss.
How to Make Ceylon Tea
At this point, you know pretty much everything about this tea. What is Ceylon tea? Are there benefits to Ceylon tea? What are the side-effects of Ceylon tea? We’ve covered all of this. The only thing missing is how to make a glass of this delicious tea. Here’s how to brew back Ceylon tea:
Step 1: Boil your water in a kettle.
Step 2: Add the recommended amount of tea to your teapot or infuser.
Step 3: Fill the teapot with water just below boiling temperature.
Step 4: Steep for 3 minutes and enjoy your tea!
In conclusion, you are now ready for the next time someone asks you “what is Ceylon tea?” If you’ve made it this far in the article, you should be able to promptly answer this question. Remember that Ceylon tea is not actually a type of tea, but a region where tea is grown.
Also, there are many benefits to the tea. However, there are also some side-effects. Just make sure you enjoy your tea responsibly. Click here to check out our Ceylon teas.
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