Daily Nutrition & Well-being
5 Healthy Benefits of Drinking Tea
Herbalife 23 January 2025
Most of us love a good cuppa – either to relax and unwind after a stressful day or to keep up with a busy lifestyle.
So, it’s no surprise that on a global scale, it’s been reported over 5 billion cups of tea are consumed daily which exceeds the 2 billion cups of daily coffee consumption.1 Whether it’s green tea, black tea or herbal tea, the tea-loving community continues to grow.
But did you know besides “the hug in a mug” feeling, incorporating tea into your daily diet can offer many health benefits too?
According to the latest science, here are 5 health benefits drinking tea can have on you and your body:
1. Can provide antioxidant support
Green and black tea (including Orange Pekoe) are made from the Camellia Sinensis plant which is rich in flavonoids – a type of phytonutrient which helps to fight oxidative stress in the body.2
Packed with health-promoting polyphenols such as flavanols – more specifically catechins – emerging research has shown that these polyphenols can delay the ageing process and support brain health. This is because catechins act as antioxidants and help prevent damage to cells and tissue caused by oxidative stress.2–5
2. Can increase metabolism & energy levels
The process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy is called metabolism.6 Several independent studies have shown that tea consumption can temporarily increase your metabolism potentially due to the natural caffeine.7–9
The intake of caffeine can stimulate thermogenesis in the body – the process of generating heat. This in turn increases the energy production your body requires for physical activity, resting energy and changes in body composition.10,11
3. Supports cardiovascular health
Flavanols found in tea can have beneficial effects in people with elevated blood pressure.12
Similar research suggests that catechins in tea polyphenols may also reduce blood cholesterol.13
4. Boosts your hydration needs
People often wonder if drinking caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee will just make them more dehydrated. In reality, moderate amounts of caffeine will not deplete the water in your body.
While water should be your primary source of fluids, tea can complement your hydration needs and give you some variety, given its unique flavour.
While plain tea has no fat, sugar, and calories, do watch out for some commercial tea drinks – large amounts of added sugar and high-fat dairy can rack up calories quickly.
5. Can feel refreshed and increase alertness
Caffeine is one source of the bitter flavour in tea and consuming it at levels found in many tea and coffee beverages has been found to improve alertness.14–16
Green, black, and white teas all contain L-Theanine, an amino acid that is said to improve cognitive performance and mood but does not have the stimulating effects of caffeine.14,17
Alice Zhu, member of the Dietetic Advisory Board in China says, “A moderate consumption means a few hundred milligrams per day,” Alice writes. “So, you can be rest assured: even for those who drink tea several times a day, their intake of caffeine remains in the ‘moderate’ range.”
Why not try our refreshing Instant Herbal Beverage range to further boost your health.
Sources:
1. UK Tea & Infusions Association [Internet]. Available from: https://www.tea.co.uk/news/article/tea-loved-by-brits-and-5-billion-cups-of-tea-are-drunk-globally-each-day#_ftnref3.
2. Musial, C., Kuban-Jankowska, A. & Gorska-Ponikowska M. Beneficial properties of green tea catechins. Int J Mol Sci.2020;21(5):1744.
3. Lange, KW. Tea in cardiovascular health and disease: a critical appraisal of the evidence. Food Science and Human Wellness.2022;11(3):445–454.
4. Hartley, L., Flowers, N., Holmes, J., et al. Green and black tea for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2013(6).
5. Li, S., Lo, CY., Pan, MH., et al. Black tea: chemical analysis and stability. Food Funct.2013;4(1):10–8.
6. StatPearls. Physiology, Metabolism [Internet]. 2022.
7. Reddy, VS., Shiva, S., Manikantan, S., et al. Pharmacology of caffeine and its effects on the human body.EJMCR.2024;100138.
8. Cappelleti, S., Daria, P., Sani, G., et al. Caffeine: Cognitive and physical performance enhancer or psychoactive Drug? Curr Neuropharmacol. 2015;13(1):71–88.
9. Katada, S., Yanagimoto, A., Matsui, Y., et al. Effect of tea catechins with caffeine on energy expenditure in middle-aged men and women: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Eur J Nutr. 2019;59(3):1163–1170.
10. Hursel, R., Viechtbauer, W., Dullo, AG., et al. The effects of catechin rich teas and caffeine on energy expenditure and fat oxidation: a meta-analysis. Obes Rev.2011;12(7):e573–81.
11. Westerterp, KR. Control of energy expenditure in humans.Endotext [Internet].2022.
12. Li, D., Wang, R., Huang J., et al. Effects and mechanisms of tea regulating blood pressure: evidences and promises. Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1115.
13. Kim, A., Chiu, A., Barone, MK., Green tea catechins decrease total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: A systematic review of and meta-analysis. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111(11):1720–1729.
14. Owen, G., Parnell, H., Bruin, EAD., et al. The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutr Neurosci.2008;11(4):193–8.
15. Pasman, WJ., Boessen, R., Donner, Y., et al. Effect of caffeine on attention and alertness measured in a home-setting, using web-based cognition test. JMIR Res Protoc. 2017;6(9):e169.
16. Guest, NS., VanDusseldorp TA., Nelson, MT., et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.2021;18(1).
17. Baba, Y., Inagaki, S., Nakagawa, S., et al. Effects of L-theanine on cognitive function in middle-aged and older subjects: A randomised placebo-controlled study.2021;24(4):333–341.