Health Benefits of Tea: Ten Ways Tea Might Be Good for You

Tea image via Shutterstock

In the East, tea has been in diets and promoted for healthy living for thousands for years. There are also hundreds of articles explaining why tea is healthy, but the truth is, real research and studies are in short supply. If anything, drinking tea will keep you hydrated—and it’s definitely better than drinking sugary soft drinks or calorie-filled sports drinks.

Here are 10 reasons to drink tea:

1. Green tea may lower colon, throat, and stomach cancer risks. Researchers studied more than 69,000 Chinese women who drank green tea at least three times a week for a decade, and found that they were 14 percent less likely to develop a cancer of the digestive system.  [Fox News]

2. Black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by smoking. Black tea has the highest caffeine content, but studies showed that it also reduced risk of stroke. But no, continuing to smoke and drinking black tea won’t help.  [WebMD]

3. Drinking tea can increase endurance in exercise by improving fat metabolism. Studies showed that drinking tea can increase calorie burn when exercising.  [Science Daily]

4. Two cups of tea a day can lower your risk for ovarian cancer. Researchers from Sweden followed more than 60,000 women ages 40 to 76 for more than 15 years and found that two cups of tea a day lowered their ovarian cancer risk by 46 percent.  [Health Castle]

5. Green tea may help prevent type 2 diabetes. Studies show that long-term consumption of tea could be beneficial against obesity and type 2 diabetes, and could reduce risk of coronary disease.  [National Institutes of Health]

6. Five cups of green tea a day will burn an additional 80 calories. This means that over a year’s time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking a lot of green tea.  [iVillage]

7. Black tea can reduce your risk for heart disease. The antioxidants in green, black, and oolong teas can help improve artery function.  [Harvard Health Publications]

8. Tea can prevent cavities. The antioxidants in tea help kill bacteria in the mouth. Tea contains calcium and magnesium, which helps form healthy bones and teeth.  [Canadian Living]

9. Green tea can lower cholesterol. Drinking green, black, and oolong teas may lower bad cholesterol.  [National Institutes of Health]

10. Tea has been linked to calming nerves. People that drink jasmine and lavender tea experienced a decreased heart rate simply by smelling their tea.  [Men’s Health]

Do you drink tea? What is your favorite kind?