If you’re like many women across the globe, you don’t feel that your day has truly started until you’ve sipped on a hot cup of coffee in the morning to help you get going, right? Indeed, according to numbers released by the National Coffee Association, more than half of the citizens of the United States that are over 18 years old drink at least one cup of “joe” each day.

However, while scientists still seem to be debating whether coffee is definitely good or bad for us (and obviously this has a lot to do with exactly how much is consumed), there are plenty of indicators which show that regular intakes of caffeine can attribute to unwanted health issues. For example, coffee consumption has been linked with increased cholesterol levels, higher blood pressure, and even cardiovascular disease in some instances.

As an alternative, if you drink tea (especially those varieties that are completely free of caffeine or with lower levels), is believed to actually offer a plethora of beneficial effects for the human body, as well as the mind. With so many different types on the market, you won’t struggle to find a blend for your every mood either — just check out specialist stores such as Buddha Teas (you can read their story here) and you’ll see how many varieties there are to choose from.

If you want to increase your health and make 2016 your best year yet, it would pay to consider switching your daily hot beverage of choice from coffee to tea, or at least incorporating a whole lot more of the drink into your diet. Read on for the lowdown on why tea can help you feel better than ever this year.

Different Blends for Different Tastes

One of the best things about switching from coffee to tea is that you’ll have so many more choices to select from. Tea is available in a huge array of blends, all of which can suit different tastes, times of the day, occasions and more.

The Camellia sinensis plant is used to create the most popular choices of tea, the black and green varieties, but also four other categories: white, pu-erh (a blend that goes through an additional fermentation process), oolong, and flavored teas. Furthermore, within these broad groups of the drink you will also find lots of subtle variations to choose from, plus blends made from using more than one of the above categories — Earl Grey and English Breakfast products are examples of these.

When it comes to herbal teas (infusions made when you steep herbs, spices, or flowers; and which are typically caffeine-free) your choices are even wider. Some of the most popular herbal brews have ingredients like ginger, chamomile, licorice, peppermint, jasmine, and lemongrass.

There are also plenty of more unusual teas to be found around the world, including hawthorn berry; Yerba Mate (regularly consumed by people who want a coffee alternative); calendula; alfalfa leaf; cat’s claw bark; and the popular South American blend, Damiana leaf tea.

Treatments for Health Complaints

Tea is also a fantastic drink to enjoy if you’d like to look and/or feel better. The beverage has been consumed for thousands of years, all around the world, for its relaxation and medicinal properties, and these days many different health benefits have been scientifically-proven.

For example, black tea, the most popular option, is known to be chock full of antioxidants that can fight diseases and help to prevent them too. Black tea can help reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of stroke, as well as reduce cellular damage. Green tea also has lots of antioxidants, but specific ones which can assist with the prevention of conditions like cancer and heart disease, as well as aid weight loss (when three or more cups are consumed each day).

Herbal teas are also very good for the human mind and body. Ginger tea, for example, has been recognized for years as a good beverage for stemming nausea and motion sickness, and as a digestive aid. The drink can also help to warm up the body quickly and ward off chills.

Peppermint tea is another popular brew that can make you feel better. Apart from being beneficial in soothing an upset tummy, peppermint can also relieve muscle spasms, and issues of the stomach like abdominal gas and bloating. The soothing drink can also help when you have a cold or the flu, as menthol, the main active ingredient in the peppermint plant, can act as a decongestant. This can be good for calming sore throats, thinning mucus in the nose, and breaking up a cough.