Coffee is American’s number one go-to drink every morning. It wakes us up and is a constant companion through our most sluggish days. But if you’re looking for a change in your routine, a way to “spice up your life” so to speak, drinking tea every morning is a great way to maintain a healthy body while feeling refreshed.

The health benefits of tea are vast and endless. Studies have shown that drinking three to five cups of tea a day burns calories, lowers cholesterol, increases mental alertness, and lowers blood pressure. Teas have antioxidant polyphenols that are linked to anticancer properties. These antioxidants also lower the risk of heart disease.

There are many varieties of teas available in stores and coffee shops, and the overwhelming  names of the plants and roots might get a little too confusing to be able to differentiate between all of them. If you’re not sure what kind of tea you want to try, I hope this will serve as a handy guide.

The main types of tea are black, white, green, and oolong tea. Pu-erh tea has also become a popular type of tea in the west. Herbal teas are made from herbs, fruits, seeds, or any plant infusions. Popular herbal teas include chamomile, echinacea, and hibiscus tea. These teas have lower concentrations of antioxidants and don’t offer the same health benefits.

Black, white, green, and oolong tea leaves all come from the Camille sinesis plant. What makes all of them different from each other is the way they are processed. The more processed the leaf, the darker it is. Green tea has been found to aid in the prevention of growth of cancers and the clogging of arteries. It is popularly known that drinking green tea regularly gives you a metabolic boost so that you lose more calories throughout the day. It usually tastes either sweet and mellow or grassy and lemony.

If you’re looking for something that will give you a burst of caffeine, black tea is for you. It has the highest caffeine content of the teas and is a great alternative to coffee. Not only will it wake you up, but it will reduce your chance of stroke simultaneously.

White tea has a very delicate taste, so it is not strong at all. Along with being known for having anticancer properties, it is also the least processed of the teas, making it the drink with the highest amount of catechins (type of antioxidant). It usually has a low amount of caffeine in it, so don’t drink it for an energy boost.

Oolong tea leaves have nutrients that help shed body fat, which is one of the reasons why it has become so popular. Its enticing aroma also allures tea-lovers. Let me warn you, it has a much stronger taste than white tea and might take some getting used to.

Iced tea sounds much tastier than any of the above mentioned drinks, but drinking it brewed has its advantages. Studies have shown iced tea has considerably more calories and doesn’t provide the same health benefits because it has fewer polyphenols.

I’m not saying you will instantly drop five pounds by drinking any one of these teas for a couple days. You most probably won’t. However, incorporating teas into your balanced diet regularly will have positive effects on your health in the future.