Tea

If you're feeling bloated and lethargic, you may have heard of drinking dandelion root tea to cure that puffy, overly full feeling. But is imbibing a steaming mug of a bitter-tasting common weed really the key to feeling your best?

Many people use dandelion root to detoxify, relieve constipation, soothe an upset stomach, and help shed water weight, among many other health remedies. In fact, tea made from the dandelion's root or leaves has been used in traditional Chinese and Native American medicine for centuries; now, even Dr. Oz has jumped on board, recommending dandelion tea as part of his 48-hour cleanse to help your liver release toxins while you sleep.

There's even some limited science to back up those ancient claims. Studies have shown that dandelion does contain diuretic and liver-detoxifying properties, and promising new research is looking into whether dandelion root has cancer-killing properties as well. A small lab study in mice even found that hot water dandelion root extract reduced alcohol-related liver damage in mice. However, scientific research has not been able to prove all the claims about dandelion root and health, and more research is needed.

Even so, medical experts regard dandelion use as generally safe — rare side effects include upset stomach and diarrhea — making dandelion root tea a good option if you're looking for ways to detox and debloat. Be sure to note the warnings about who shouldn't ingest dandelion root, however, and find a reputable, high-quality brand you trust (we like the Roasted Dandelion Root Tea from Traditional Medicinals). Talk to your doctor if you are taking any medication as well, since the weed can interact with some medications, such as lithium, certain antibiotics, and drugs that are broken down by your liver. And note that dandelion tea can have laxative effects, so try it out at night if you've never had it before.

First came BB creams, then came BB treatments for your hair, and now there's a BB drink for beautiful skin from the inside out. The Kusmi Tea BB Detox ($16-$20) is the latest launch from the luxury Parisian tea company's wellness teas. In this case, BB stands for beauty beverage. Maté and green tea are key ingredients that help flush toxins from your body — and its largest organ, your skin. Green tea is also well known for its strong antioxidant powers, and it's blended with dandelion and rooibos for added skin protection through vitamins A and C and alpha hydroxy acids, respectively. Lastly, hydration is essential to glowing skin, which is why this delicious tea helps you get your necessary water intake in a calorie-free yet delicious way. Plus, this herbal blend is great hot or cold, so this will be one you reach for all year round.

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Coffee lovers and green tea enthusiasts, unite! A new study out of Japan shows that people who drink both beverages every day have a lower risk of stroke than those who drink just one or the other (or neither).

Researchers have been touting the antioxidant properties of green tea for years, and recent studies show that your daily coffee fix boosts more than just your energy levels. But putting the two drinks together — not in the same cup, of course — may help you reap the health benefits of both.

Researchers looked at the coffee and tea consumption habits of almost 82,369 Japanese adults over 13 years and found that people who had a cup of coffee every day were 20 percent less likely to have a stroke (compared to those who didn't drink coffee at all). But that's not to say that coffee is better for you than tea. In fact, the study noted that people who drank four or more cups of green tea a day were also about 20 percent less likely to have a stroke. Since the two drinks help prevent strokes in different ways, drinking both can lower your risk of stroke more than just drinking one or the other, the study authors explained.

Read on to learn more about the health benefits of both coffee and tea.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf recently launched a slew of new beverages: a new line of sweet teas, as well as a unique hot-beverage concept, tea cappuccinos. Intrigued by the new concept and a penchant for sweet tea, we took a coffee tea break to see how the chain's latest drink offerings stack up.

A quick word before we delve into specifics (and how each beverage fared): a tea cappuccino, at least by TCB&TL's definition, is a vanilla bean syrup-sweetened, steamed milk-topped beverage with a tea base that's brewed in an espresso machine solely devoted to tea brewing.

Chai Tea Cappuccino

Full of robust, peppery, authentic chai flavor, the Chai Tea Cappuccino was neither too sweet nor flat (as many chai blends unfortunately tend to be). Hints of ginger, cardamom, and other sweet-leaning spices meld perfectly with the vanilla bean sauce and powder, making for a drink perfect for days when an indulgent start is obligatory. For everyday mornings, we'll take advantage of the store's openness to drink customization (and use of loose leaf tea, rather than a concentrated chai base) and order the cappuccino unsweetened to avoid a midmorning sugar crash.

Scottish Breakfast Tea Cappuccino

While we enjoyed the robust, tannic Scottish tea base of this iteration, it lost points when combined with the incongruent vanilla bean sauce, which, while spot on when paired with the chai tea, didn't quite do it for us with the otherwise pleasant black tea. We'd consider reordering this option unsweetened or with a drizzle of honey.

Keep reading to learn how the chain's other new offerings fared.

Yerba mate, a South American tea derived from the dried leaves of the mate plant, promises drinkers a calm, focused caffeinated feeling — without the jittery buzz that comes from too much coffee. Used for centuries as a social and medicinal beverage, mate has a rich history that links back to indigenous tribes, but this brew might not be as innocuous as once thought.

Drinking mate has been associated with a number of health benefits, everything from lowering cholesterol to supporting liver function. Even alternative and complementary medicine advocate Dr. Weil believes in certain benefits of mate, namely that consumption supports healthy bone density. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that yerba mate actually destructs colon cancer cells. Growing in popularity due to many of these claims, the tea is readily available in supermarket aisles and receives rave reviews, but not all the cancer research is glowing.

Two studies performed in Uruguay have shown the link between drinking mate and esophageal cancer. Researchers found that heavy drinkers of mate were approximately 10 times more likely to develop cancer than people who did not drink mate. The traditional process of smoke-drying the mate leaves used in these traditional communities might have a direct correlation with cancer; surprisingly, a similar risk is associated with drinking scalding-hot beverages, even something as common as coffee or water, so temperature might be a factor, too.

Some of the most popular mate manufacturers have responded to health concerns, explaining that their products are no longer smoke-dried. A more modern air-dried process is believed to significantly lower the risk of carcinogenic compounds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the chemicals known to be carcinogens at high concentrations in mate. However, just how much is significant has yet to be looked at in detail. With this information and its conflicting research, it's best to enjoy all mate in moderation.

Do you drink mate regularly? Will you think twice before sipping next time?

Nonherbal teas — those of the black, green, white, and oolong variety — contain high amounts of flavenoids, or antioxidants, that help reduce the risk of certain diseases, boost immunity, and improve heart health. Drinking tea is a good habit to have, but are you harnessing the full power of your mug? Read these tips for making sure you're getting the most antioxidant power out of your drink.

1. Know your steep times: Steeping draws out tea's catechins, so keep your tea in your mug longer to take advantage of these antioxidants. If you're worried about getting a high dose of caffeine in your strong cups of tea, then switch to decaffeinated — the antioxidant makeup of decaffeinated tea is still strong.
2. Don't add milk: Adding milk to your tea may be a treat, but if you're looking to benefit from tea's disease-fighting power, then keep it away from your cup. Studies have shown that milk strips tea of its health effects; one study found that soy milk similarly decreased the health effects of tea as well.
3. Add these instead: Certain items actually increase the antioxidant levels of tea, so go ahead and add them to your mug. Citrus fruits like lemon and lime, for example, have been shown to maximize the effectiveness of green tea's catechins, while cinnamon, honey, and nutmeg all are antioxidant-rich foods in their own right (and make great tea additions).