Key Takeaways
Drinking tea every day can deliver a steady dose of antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation, support heart and metabolic health, and protect cells from damage over time.Green and white teas are especially rich in powerful compounds like EGCG, though herbal varieties can offer their own unique nutrients and benefits.To get the most out of your cup, skip excess sugar, be mindful of caffeine and iron absorption if you’re sensitive, and aim for about one to four unsweetened cups per day.
When it comes to the most popular caffeinated beverage, one might assume that coffee reigns supreme. However, that title actually belongs to tea. After water, tea is the most commonly consumed beverage around the world. Though, in the United States, some people drink coffee more than tea and even bottled water.
So, it depends on who you ask and where you are, but it’s safe to say that tea is pretty popular—and not just for its taste. If you’re a daily tea drinker—or you aspire to become one—here’s all it can offer, and how to ensure you maximize the benefits of each cup.
Jenna Volpe, RDN, a registered dietitian and herbalist based in Austin, Texas
Tea Nutrition
What are the nutrition facts of tea? It depends on the variety and how it’s prepared. “Every type of tea is unique in terms of its nutritional profile and what it provides,” says Jenna Volpe, RDN, a registered dietitian and herbalist in Austin, Texas. “For example, some nutritive teas such as stinging nettle leaf and horsetail provide certain minerals (e.g. calcium, iron, silica, etc.), while other teas such as hibiscus and rosehip are naturally high in vitamin C.” Most provide antioxidants while some, though not all, contain caffeine, Volpe points out.
Black tea, which comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, is one of the most popular varieties. According to USDA data, a 6-ounce serving of black tea is virtually free from calories, macronutrients, and essential vitamins and minerals. However, that doesn’t mean it’s free from nutrients. For starters, a serving contains 35.6 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, which is technically an antioxidant agent. It also provides additional antioxidants in the form of polyphenols, Volpe notes.
Other popular teas, such as green, white, and oolong tea, also come from the same Camellia sinensis plant. “These teas are all relatively similar in terms of caffeine content, but they differ in color, taste, and antioxidant profile because they’re each harvested and prepared differently from one another,” Volpe explains. “Of them, green and white tea are the highest in antioxidants because they’re less fermented compared to black and oolong tea.”
The rich antioxidant contents of green tea in particular are well established. In one study, researchers compared the antioxidant profile of 30 different tea infusions and found that green teas generally contained the highest amount of catechins, a type of polyphenol. The most abundant catechin in green tea, as well as white tea, is called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), Volpe points out. In addition to its antioxidant properties, EGCG has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties, and it may have therapeutic effects in neurological, cardiovascular, and other diseases.
What Happens When You Drink Tea Every Day?
“Virtually every type of herbal tea likely offers some health benefits,” Volpe says. “The possibilities are endless in terms of what can happen from drinking tea everyday.”
The aggregated antioxidants from regular tea consumption are an obvious perk. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage cells, thereby protecting the body and potentially reducing the risk of certain diseases.
“For most people, drinking antioxidant-rich tea (such as green tea, white tea, or rooibos tea) everyday can potentially help to reduce inflammation, slow down cellular aging, improve heart health, enhance metabolism, reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, support digestion, and more,” Volpe explains.
While the potential health benefits of tea sound promising, there are some important considerations to note. First, what you add to your tea could offset the beneficial properties. “For example, tea is anti-inflammatory but sugar is pro-inflammatory, negating some of the benefits when you add sweetener,” Volpe says. “Cow’s milk could also bind to EGCG, reducing the body’s absorption of it.”
Additionally, some people may be sensitive to the caffeine in many teas. While tea is generally lower in caffeine than coffee, it can add up if you drink multiple cups of tea or other caffeinated drinks throughout the day, Volpe notes.
There are also compounds in tea, such as tannins and fluoride, that could be a cause for concern for some individuals with certain health conditions. “Tannins can reduce iron absorption by binding onto iron in the gut, which may not be advantageous for folks with iron deficiency anemia,” Volpe explains. “Fluoride can negatively impact iodine absorption, which may be detrimental to those with hypothyroidism.”
An antioxidant-rich beverage, tea has many benefits to offer, but individual considerations may factor in. Ultimately, the best tea to drink every day can vary from person to person, though opting for unsweetened tea is generally the most advantageous. If your goal is to drink more tea, how much should you aim for per day? “Generally, one to four cups of tea per day can be considered safe and beneficial for most healthy adults,” Volpe says.
