The Truth About Tea

Drinking tea is an age-old ritual. From choosing the leaves and flavor to sipping from a pretty teacup, tea drinking can be relaxing and soothing, not to mention addictive! But with all the different types out there, which are actually good for you, and how do you choose? We spoke with New York City-based celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, author of The Beauty Detox Solution, about the benefits of drinking tea.

"I highly recommend rooibos tea," says Kim. "It’s a full-bodied, caffeine-free tea that’s very refreshing and hydrating, plus it’s packed with antioxidants. It’s also filled with minerals and vitamin C to keep you refreshed and hydrated all day long. It's great hot or iced, and if you want to add some extra sweetness, I recommend using stevia."

And what about other herbal teas? "Herbal teas, which are also caffeine-free, contain antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin," says Kim. "I also recommend white tea, which contains only eight milligrams of caffeine per cup."

"While green tea contains lots of healthy antioxidants," says Kim, "one cup has around 35 milligrams of caffeine. Many nutritionists recommend green tea, but because it has more caffeine then some other teas, I don’t recommend drinking too much of it."

Image courtesy of stellamagblog