3 types of tea with longevity-boosting benefits

tea live longer

If you drink these kinds of tea, it might help you live longer!

We’re not sure if  we want to live forever but living longer is definitely something we can get behind. And even though we can not extend our lives as long as we would like to, there are some ways to at least try to increase your lifespan. And these teas might be one of the keys to a longer life.

Longest-living people

Dan Buettner, a New York Times bestselling author and the founder of the Blue Zones, found that several areas in the world are home to some of the longest-living people. He called these areas ‘Blue Zones’. These Blue Zones include regions in Costa Rica, Greece, Italy, Japan and even one in California. What they have in common? All these people drink tea. And Buettner shared which teas the people in the Blue Zones drink the most.

1. Green tea

In Japan, in the region of Okinawa, they mostly drink green tea. Buettner told Well + Good: “Okinawans prefer green varieties, which have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and several cancers.” Green tea has several antioxidants in it and some amino acids that make it one of the healthiest teas to drink.

2. Herbal tea

In Greece, in the region of Ikaria, they mostly drink herbal teas. Buettner told Well + Good: “Ikarians drink brews of rosemary, wild sage, and dandelion tea—all herbs known to have anti-inflammatory properties.” Another benefit of herbal tea? Apparently, when you drink a lot of herbal tea, you might even decrease the risk of dementia or certain chronic illnesses. The Greek make their teas from wild herbs that have other benefits too. Buettner says: “Greek teas may offer specific beneficial effects: wild mint as a way to prevent gingivitis and ulcers, rosemary to treat gout, and artemisia to improve blood circulation.”

3. Milk thistle

In Italy, in Sardinia, they drink milk thistle tea. And this type of tea has some surprising benefits too. It helps with digestion, removes waste from your body and contains essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs.

So if you want to live longer, you might want to start your day with one of these teas.

Also read: Should you reuse the same tea bag multiple times?

Source: Well + Good | Image: Unsplash, Drew Jemmett