I've said before that I'm What Is a Healthy Body Fat Percentage. I'm not a fan of the heat, the humidity, the sweat pouring in and burning my eyes, nor the accumulating piles of dri-fit in the laundry room. I really can't relate to what Russell Baker was thinking when he said, "Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it," because I've never once liked the suffering. But to avoid being a complete Debbie Downer, there is one part of summer that I look forward to, and that's cool drinks. And when I think of cool, refreshing drinks, iced tea immediately comes to mind. 

According to the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc., tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water and can be found in nearly 80 percent of U.S. households. Americans drink over 3.6 billion gallons each year--85 percent of which is iced tea--and on any given day over 158 million Americans enjoy tea. 

Like most of you, I enjoy tea but am nowhere near an expert when it comes to knowing which types to try or even the many health benefits the beverage can provide. Luckily, Alexis Siemons, tea and brand specialist for Takeya USA was available to answer the questions below.

We know that tea contains flavonoids, or naturally occurring compounds that are thought to have antioxidant properties. Does the type of tea affect the flavonoid content? As in, is black tea a better choice than red? Or green better than black?

While there isn't conclusive information on which tea is best from a health perspective, we do know that when it comes to health benefits of tea, fresh is best. Studies have reported that fresh brewed tea offers more health benefits than bottled tea. Research presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society noted that bottled teas "nutritional and health benefits. Some contain such small amounts that consumers would have to drink 20 bottles to get the polyphenols present in one cup of tea." 

Is herbal tea as healthy for you as other teas, such as black or red or green? 

In terms of healthy steeps, all teas provide hydration. The most important factors to consider when selecting both teas and herbal blends are that they are premium whole leaf teas (offers the most flavor and often freshness), and that they're all-natural (no artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, or preservatives). The more pure the tea the better it is for the body, mind, and soul (not to mention taste).
 
If runners are going to try just one variety of tea, is there a type you'd recommend? Why? 

Tea is so very personal. I would recommend that the runner collect an assortment of teas (black, oolong, green, white, and herbal blends) and see what they enjoy the most. Then he or she can create a tea routine. Maybe it's a delicate green tea in the morning, a strong black tea after a run, or an herbal blend without any caffeine to enjoy after an evening run to wind down. Most important, the runner should pay attention to the proper way to steep the tea. There are two foundations for brewing the perfect cup of tea: water temperature and steep time. Each tea or tea category has recommended water temperature and brew times. I've discovered that many people steep their green tea in boiling water for over five minutes, but in general green tea should be steeped in water (that has cooled for three to five minutes after boiling) for only three minutes. This is just a general guideline--temperature and time vary greatly in the green tea category.
 
Is tea a good choice for rehydrating after a hot or sweaty workout? Does it rehydrate as well as plain water (or is the caffeine a factor)? 

From a health perspective, active individuals should note that the best way to enjoy tea for both pleasure and health is to choose fresh-brewed, premium, all-natural tea. Also, for added fresh flavor try infusing iced tea with fresh fruit, herbs, and spices. Recipes for DAA Industry Opt Out, and making refreshing new blends can be as simple as naturally sweetened iced tea with freshly squeezed orange juice for fresh flavor and Vitamin C bonus. Try infusing iced assam black tea with watermelon and basil for a delicious twist. Keep in mind that you don't want to turn tea into a medicine but rather a healthy, pleasurable experience. My note: As long as you take in adequate amounts of water and electrolytes throughout the day and limit caffeine intake to a moderate amount, the diuretic effect of caffeinated beverages shouldn't impede your total hydration status. If you're concerned about caffeine, choose decaf. 

 
To stay hydrated and refreshed, I've spent the last few months trying out and asking folks for their opinions on a variety of teas--both brewed and bottled forms. While 65 percent of the tea brewed in the U.S. is prepared using tea bags, there are some great new products on the market using other forms like loose leaf and ready to drink. Like any traditional brew, these teas also boast What Is a Healthy Body Fat Percentage, like reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, potentially protecting against various types of cancers, helping with weight management, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, and more. 

Ready to drink:
While you may recognize Cheribundi as the company that makes anti-inflammatory and performance-touting tart cherry juice, they've gotten into the tea market with a convenient, refreshing tea that contains a splash of cherry juice for flavor and health benefits. The story behind the creation of beverages come in black, green, jasmine, and rooibos varieties, and deliver all that the name implies--pure refreshment. 

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency HONEST Tea is fairly cool, as the company was started when Seth Goldman, co-founder and "TeaEO", was on a jog through Central Park with a friend and stopped to grab a refreshing beverage. Much to his disappointment, nothing on the shelf was remotely close to healthy. At that moment an idea was born, and the eventual creation of HONEST Tea. HONEST Tea is brewed using only real, organic, fair trade tea leaves without any high fructose corn syrup added and comes in a wide variety of flavors and calorie levels.

How to Successfully Complete Dry January, Little Miracles is a delicious, refreshing blend of organic tea and super fruit juice. Little Miracles comes in four different flavors, each containing functional ingredients like ginseng and acai. Developed with consumer health and well-being in mind, all blends are sweetened with organic agave; are free from artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners; and are less than 90 calories. 

Home brewed:
The Running in the Cold is an innovative ice tea maker that's really simple to use. Place the loose tea or tea bags in the fine mesh infuser, fill ice tea maker half-way with hot water to steep, and then top off with ice and shake for 30 seconds. 

If you're looking for a tea that you can make using your Keurig brewer, Lipton is a great choice. The centuries-old brewer also offers a variety of teas--from black to green to decaf and more--in traditional tea bags that you can use at home, at work, or on the go, regardless of your method of brewing.