Why Tea Is Good for You, and the Different Types to Try

I’m staunchly Team Coffee, but everyone else in my family is a passionate tea drinker, so my Nespresso pods and coffee beans in the pantry are getting crowded out by bags of Earl Grey, cans of matcha, and tins of fancy blends with names like “Misty Paris Morning on the Left Bank.”

Even I have to admit that they’re on to something: tea is both sophisticated and homey (Princess Kate sips it, and so does your grandma), and it is one of the healthiest beverages you can drink.

“There are some differences in the composition of various types of tea, but current science suggests that regular consumption is good for long-term health,” says researcher Benjamin Haddon Parmenter from Edith Cowan University.

By “tea,” we mean the caffeinated stuff that is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, which is grown all over the world. Tea’s healing powers come mainly from chemicals in the leaves called polyphenols, particularly catechins and epicatechins, which protect the body by inducing antioxidant defences.

Experts caution that no type of tea is a miracle drink. Tea can’t counteract an unhealthy lifestyle or replace meds your doctor has ordered but it is a tasty way to give your health a little boost. Here's what tea can do for you.

Help keep your heart healthy

Along with exercise and diet, tea can assist in keeping your heart going strong. A large British study recently found that drinking two or more cups of black tea per day was associated with lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, stroke, and ischemic heart disease.

The flavonoids in green and black tea have long been associated with heart health, Parmenter says. One possible reason: research suggests that these substances help improve the health and function of the inner layer of the blood vessels, supporting proper blood flow throughout the body and helping maintain a healthy blood pressure. Compounds in tea may also help lower LDL and total cholesterol, further helping reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Fight inflammation

Chronic inflammation, when the immune system tries to heal with inflammation even if there’s no injury, is connected with numerous illnesses, including autoimmune diseases, cancer, and dementia. Tea can be one part of your fight-back plan.

“Green tea in particular is full of anti-inflammatory compounds, including a particularly potent catechin called EGCG that can protect against cellular damage,” says nutritionist Alyssa Pacheco.

Soothe a cold or flu

You don’t need to study biochemistry to confirm that tea can help you feel better when you are sniffling and have a sore throat.

To start with, the hot liquid helps soothe your throat and break up congestion. One of its most important healing functions, though, may simply be that it keeps you hydrated, says dietitian Jaclyn London. When you’re sick you need to boost your intake of fluids, including by drinking plenty of unsweetened beverages.

Sharpen your focus

The caffeine in black tea can increase your focus and energy level while helping you avoid that eye-twitching, over-caffeinated feeling you can get from drinking coffee. Given that a cup of brewed tea has from a quarter to half the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, it’s great for people who want extra support without a too-stimulating sip, says integrative dietitian Robin Foroutan.

“Because tea has caffeine along with L-theanine, a compound that helps your body regulate the calming neurotransmitters, black tea can give you a more balanced boost,” she adds.

But can tea help you lose weight?

This one’s a stretch. The catechins and caffeine in tea may play a tiny role in boosting metabolism, but any weight loss may be more about what you’re not drinking. Drinking tea “fills the void to replace beverages that are high in sugar and kilojoules,” says nutritionist Josh Axe.

“When you replace flavoured lattes, coffee with cream and sugar, and sugary sodas with tea, you’re cutting a massive amount of kilojoules a day.”

Get to know the different types of tea

While drinks made from dried herbs, spices, flowers, roots, and fruit are not technically “tea” (considered “herbals” or “infusions,” they don’t contain caffeine), they have health benefits of their own.

Rooibos (pronounced “ROY-boss”) tea, also known as “red tea,” is made from the leaves of the plant Aspalathus linearis and is widely loved for its naturally sweet and nutty flavour, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Mint, ginger, chamomile, and hibiscus also contain antioxidants and have other soothing benefits like fighting nausea and inducing calmness, and since they don’t keep you up at night, they’re perfect for making a soothing bedtime brew.

The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the source of “true” tea, can be turned into a few different types of tea depending on when they are harvested, how long they’re allowed to wither, and how long they’re oxidised. Each of these factors affects the look and taste of the tea and elicits chemical reactions that change the micro nutrients in the leaves. Check out these varieties and choose the healthy sip that you find tastiest.

Black tea

When you think of “a cuppa” English Breakfast or Darjeeling or just a basic bag of Lipton next to your office coffee machine, that’s classic black tea.

To make this kind of tea, the leaves of the Camellia sinensis are rolled or cut and left out to dry fully; oxidation turns the leaves a rich brown or black. While polyphenols are abundant in all teas, black tea is particularly high in theaflavin and thearubigin, which give it its rich colour and may help control blood sugar.

Green tea

Despite their having another colour and flavour profile entirely, green teas such as matcha and Hojicha come from the same plant as black tea does. The difference: before the green leaves have a chance to turn brown, they’re heated to forestall the oxidation process. This gives the tea its bright green color and grassy flavor.

“Green tea, specifically matcha, is high in antioxidants such as chlorophyll, L-theanine, and catechins,” says dietitian Amy Fischer.

White tea

Think of white tea as the baby of the family: to make this mild and floral-tasting variety, the Camellia sinensis leaves are plucked when they’ve barely budded. At this early stage, the leaves are usually covered in downy white fuzz, hence the tea variety’s name. The leaves are dried as soon as they’re harvested to avoid letting them oxidise.

“White tea is the most minimally processed of all the teas, so it retains a higher amount of catechins,” says Fischer, who points out that white tea has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties similar to those of green tea.

Try these tea treats

Here, three yummy ideas from Nadia De La Vega, director of tea sustainability and content at US company David’s Tea.

London Fog

Steep 3 tbsp loose Earl Grey tea (in a tea steeper) in ½ cup hot water for 5 min.
Froth 1¼ cups plant-based milk
Add a few drops vanilla extract to tea; top with frothed milk

Iced Vanilla Matcha