The Amazing Health Benefits of Tea

Is tea the new coffee? It turns out that tea has a number of health benefits worth investigating even if you are a die-hard java junkie.

By: Rebecca R. Norris

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Tea Makes a Comeback

Once upon a time, tea was the obvious choice both to start the day and to wind down from it. However, starting with the Boston Tea Party in 1773 — coffee rose to unprecedented popularity.

And in the past few years, tea has re-emerged on the market as a trendy beverage option, largely thanks to being a healthier caffeine choice.

Although most teas are largely without nutritional value in terms of calories, protein or other macronutrients, dietitian Colleen Tewksbury, Ph.D., MPH, RD, CSOWM, LDN, who manages The University of Pennsylvania’s bariatric program, points out that the beverage is packed with antioxidants. “The type of tea determines the type of antioxidant,” she explains. “The three most common are flavonols, theaflavins and catechins.”

All three of these antioxidants are natural compounds called polyphenols, which Elad Tako, associate professor of food science at Cornell, says can be found in both caffeinated and herbal teas. “These substances may help reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases,” he explains. “During processing, some of the polyphenols in tea are destroyed, [though]. Thus, tea powders, decaffeinated teas and bottled tea drinks may not offer the same health benefits [as steeped tea].

Companies like Atlas Tea Club have jumped on this rising tea trend, with Tea of the Month Club subscriptions that allow you to travel the globe via ethically sourced tea from Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea and a host of other countries.

Learn About the Myriad Health Benefits of Tea

According to Dr. Tewksbury, “Those who consume two to three cups of tea each day report lower rates of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.” And it’s because of this that tea consumption is on the rise.

“Tea is becoming increasingly popular, and may even give coffee a run for its money,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Mackenzie Burgess, who is a recipe developer at Cheerful Choices. “In fact, statistics show the consumption of tea has increased 20% since 2000, and tea is now tied with coffee as the preferred beverage among the younger population. This increase in popularity may be due to tea's perceived health benefits given the rise in a desire for a healthy lifestyle among younger individuals.”

Whatever the case may be, one thing is clear: Anyone can benefit from a cuppa tea. To find out how, click through the slides ahead to learn the individual benefits of nine of the most popular varieties of tea on the market.

Green Tea Increases Energy and Promotes Overall Health

Green tea is sold in many flavors. No matter the one you choose, you can look forward to energy without the jitters. But that’s not all. “Green tea is exceptionally high in flavonoids that can help boost heart health by lowering bad cholesterol and reducing blood clotting,” Tako says. “Studies show this type of tea can also help lower blood pressure, triglycerides and total cholesterol. This tea variety has also been shown to be anti-inflammatory.”

For even more health benefits, Tako suggests matcha, a popular powderized form of green tea that is made from the entire leaves of the tea bush. “Since it is the only form of tea in which the leaves are ingested, matcha contains even more antioxidants than regular green tea,” he says. “In fact, some have suggested that one cup of matcha is the equivalent to 10 cups of regular green tea.” (Don’t let the scare you from a caffeine standpoint though — it’s still considered a non-jittery caffeine source.) Part of why matcha is so healthy and beneficial is due to being rich in rutin, an antioxidant compound that “works with vitamin C to strengthen blood vessels and protect the cardiovascular system,” says Burgess.

Green Tea Is Caffeinated — But Not Like Coffee

One thing to note: Even though green tea is caffeinated, it’s still not on the same level as coffee, which features roughly three times as much caffeine in an 8-ounce cup. “Caffeinated teas typically have less caffeine than coffee,” Tako says. “In general, for the average person, up to three cups of tea a day are recommended. However, this would very much depend on the individual. For example, it would be less if they exhibited a particular sensitivity to caffeine.” Additionally, it depends on the type of green tea you opt for. If you take the matcha route, Burgess says you should limit yourself to 16 ounces of matcha in one day.

Shop Now: Irreverent Tea Awoke Mind-Opening Green Tea, $19.95

White Tea Promotes Beauty Improvements

White tea is known to be anti-inflammatory, as well as high in antioxidants. Together, those components make it a great beverage for promoting a bright, clear complexion. According to Tako, though, white tea can also benefit your teeth. “Since it contains a high source of fluoride, catechins and tannins, it can strengthen teeth, fight plaque and make them more resistant to acid and sugar,” he explains.

Shop Now: Art of Tea White Coconut Creme Tea, $21

Dandelion Tea Aides in Digestion

If you’ve been wishing for better digestion, dietitian Jennifer Maeng says that dandelion tea, which is caffeine-free, can help. For starters, she says that drinking one to three cups per day can help with bloating.

“Dandelion is helpful in digestion and elimination by gently stimulating digestive secretions,” says Dr. Ben Schuff, ND LDN, director of naturopathy and nutrition at BIÂN Chicago. “Dandelion is also traditionally connected to the liver and is a useful daily tonic, especially at the onset of the spring season, to gently assist in ‘spring cleaning.’”

Shop Now: The Republic of Tea Organic Dandelion SUPERHERB Herbal Tea, $19.49

Earl Grey Tea Reduces Inflammation

Earl Grey tea is a type of black tea that differs from plain black tea because, according to Burgess, it’s flavored with BEO (essential oils of bergamot orange). “Some studies show BEO can help fight inflammation, therefore protecting the cells in our body from damage,” she says, noting that Earl Grey tea has 30 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, compared to 45 milligrams in an 8-ounce cup of regular black tea.”

Shop Now: JusTea Kenyan Earl Grey Loose Leaf Black Tea with Hand-Carved Tea Spoon, $10.99

English Breakfast Tea Helps Balance Cholesterol

English breakfast tea is another type of black tea and, as the name suggests, is wildly popular in British tea culture. “Like most black teas, English breakfast tea contains something called theaflavin, an antioxidant that has been found to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol,” Burgess says.

Don’t let the benefits of English breakfast tea inspire you to guzzle it down, though. “Black teas like English breakfast tea contain more caffeine than green or white teas, so it’s best to consume them in moderation and limit them to no more than four cups in a day,” Burgess adds. “An 8-ounce cup of English breakfast tea contains 42 milligrams of caffeine — or about half the amount in an 8-ounce cup of coffee.”

(Not quite ready to nix the coffee flavor from your diet but hoping to cut back on caffeine? Irreverent Tea’s Part of This Nutritious Breakfast Tea is a must-try. “We are huge coffee aficionados but recognize we can’t drink it as much as we used to and there are other options,” says Irreverent Tea co-founder Darcie Shively. “We did include coffee flavoring in our breakfast tea because we haven’t cut the cord yet. As people become healthier and more informed about what they eat and drink, though, they’re looking for cleaner benefits and fewer drawbacks.”)

Shop Now: Irreverent Tea Part of This Nutritious Breakfast Tea, $19.95

Chamomile Tea Promotes Deep Sleep

Whether tea is your beverage of choice as is, you’re looking for a soothing bedtime beverage, or you are hoping to replace your nightcap with something much healthier, chamomile tea (a caffeine-free herbal tea commonly referred to as “sleepy-time tea”) is a great option.

“Studies have found that consuming chamomile tea can help increase the duration of sleep and improve sleep quality,” Burgess says. “Chamomile tea has also been found to help relieve some GI issues such as stomach ulcers… [And since it] doesn’t contain any caffeine, it’s the ideal pre-bedtime drink.”

“It can be very enjoyable to have a nightcap of tea at the end of the day over a drink, which is why we made our Nocturnal Joyride tea a fun alternative,” Shively says. “It’s nice to have that reward at the end of the day.”

Shop Now: Irreverent Tea Nocturnal Joyride A Chamomile Dream Machine, $19.95

Peppermint Tea Decreases Nausea

Peppermint tea is another popular caffeine-free herbal tea. “Much like chamomile tea, peppermint tea has muscle-relaxing effects that can reduce symptoms of various forms of GI distress including nausea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), poor digestion and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome (SIBO),” says Burgess. “For most people, there’s no need to limit the amount of peppermint tea you drink. However, do note that peppermint tea has been found to be a risk factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to its relaxation effects on the lower esophageal sphincter.”

Shop Now: Harney & Sons Peppermint Herbal Tea, $7.99

Rooibos Tea Offers Allergy Relief and More

Rooibos tea is another caffeine-free herbal tea. “Rooibos tea improves blood pressure and circulation, boosts good cholesterol while lowering bad cholesterol, keeps hair strong and skin healthy, and provides relief from allergies,” Tako reveals.

While there are many rooibos teas on the market, Irreverent Tea’s Notox Radiant Rose Rooibos Tea is particularly intriguing. “During the pandemic, we started drinking more tea, but we felt like no one was really speaking to us in the category nor were they speaking to what's happening in the world,” says Irreverent Tea co-founder John Kieselhorst. “Especially in the world of wellness, there seemed to be this bar of perfection that was impossible to live up to and causing people to spend so much money to attain. There was this Zen bubble we were supposed to aspire to that didn’t fit with the chaos we were living in.

"Personally, I also have a big problem with women in our society being pressured into looking younger at every turn, which is why we created Notox, our rooibos healthy skin alternative to Botox. We wanted to create a brand for the imperfect people out there like us, to say, ‘It’s totally OK to not have it together, nor should you.’ We’re for the non-Goop types who are just trying to be themselves and who like to have a laugh at the absurdity of the world.”

Shop Now: Irreverent Tea Notox A Radiant Rose Rooibos Tea, $19.95

Ginger Tea Can Reduce Nausea and Pain

Another tea that works well to mitigate nausea is ginger tea. “Ginger is a warming aromatic root tea that is beneficial in improving circulation and warms up cold and congestive conditions in digestive and respiratory tracts, especially,” says Schuff. “It’s a classic remedy for nausea.”

With this in mind, Tako says that ginger tea is a popular remedy for morning sickness. “It can also be used to treat chronic indigestion and to help relieve joint pain caused by osteoarthritis,” he says.

Shop Now: Harney & Sons Organic Ginger Lemon Tea, $13.44