What Vitamins Can You Get From Drinking Tea?
Vitamins are trace organic compounds that maintain the normal life activities of the human body and participate in special metabolic processes within the body. The vitamin family is generally divided into two major categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins include B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, etc.) and vitamin C; fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. The human body's need for vitamins is very small, but it cannot synthesize them on its own, so they must be obtained from food. Therefore, vitamins must be effectively supplemented in the daily diet to meet the body's normal needs. We often drink tea in our daily lives, so do you know what vitamins you can get from drinking tea?
Fresh tea leaves contain 75-78% water and 22-25% dry matter, of which vitamins account for 0.6-1.0% of the dry matter. There are 16 types of vitamins in tea, namely vitamins A, D, E, K, C, B vitamins, U, P, and inositol, but this does not mean that drinking tea can provide them all. Because vitamins are divided into water-soluble and fat-soluble types, only those vitamins that are soluble in water can be supplemented by drinking tea. These vitamins are mainly vitamin C and B vitamins.
Vitamin C is a well-known nutrient, also known as ascorbic acid. It is a trace element that we need every day and has many pharmacological effects. It can treat tooth decay, gum infections, anemia, malnutrition, and other diseases. It can also prevent reduced muscle elasticity, water loss, and inhibit melanin production in muscles, thus playing a beautifying role. Generally speaking, the vitamin C content of fresh tea leaves is higher than that of finished tea, and among different types of tea, green tea and raw Pu-erh tea have higher vitamin C content. Vitamin B is a large family, including 8 types of vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. The B vitamins contained in tea include B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12, and the content is relatively high. For example, the content of vitamin B2 in tea is 10-20 times higher than that in general grains and vegetables, so it can be said to be the best drink to supplement this vitamin. Lack of B vitamins can cause many negative effects on the body. For example, a lack of vitamin B2 can cause angular cheilitis, glossitis, and keratitis, while a lack of vitamin B6 can cause insomnia, difficulty walking, and dermatitis. Drinking tea appropriately can supplement some of these vitamins.
Tea is rich in various vitamins. Other vitamins, such as β-carotene (a type of vitamin A) and vitamin E, are not soluble in water and cannot be directly supplemented by drinking tea, but they are not completely useless. For example, tea polyphenols are the functional substances with the highest content in tea and have significant antioxidant effects, while vitamin E in tea can interact with tea polyphenols to enhance the antioxidant effect. In addition, the solid-state fermentation process of Pu-erh tea can make flavonoids exist in the form of flavonoid glycosides, and flavonoid glycosides have the effect of vitamin P, which can prevent hardening of human blood vessels.
The above introduction to what vitamins can be supplemented by drinking tea is purely based on the act of "drinking tea water." If it is "eating tea," such as drinking matcha or eating tea meals, the situation is different, and everyone should pay attention to the distinction. In addition, although vitamin C and B vitamins can be supplemented by drinking tea, it does not mean that you should hold a teacup and drink it like crazy. After all, vitamins are only one of the seven essential nutrients that our body needs every day. To maintain good health, we still need to have a reasonable diet to supplement them comprehensively.