Tea and Health

Tea, without milk and sugar, does not contain significant amount of nutrients. The calorific value of tea is almost zero, making it an ideal drink for the modern day calorie conscious consumer.

Tea brew contains a small level of vitamins such as thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin, biotin and inositol. Vitamin E is also present in tea. Although rich in potassium, the sodium content in tea is very low. This makes tea an ideal beverage for hypertensive individuals.

Tea also contains calcium, zinc & manganese. However, when milk is added it can provide a number of vitamins and minerals.

In addition to the nutrients, tea provides about 70% of our daily fluoride intake. Fluoride is needed to support bone mineralization and protect teeth against dental caries.

Caffeine and polyphenols, the major non-nutrient components in tea has pharmacological effects. Polyphenols are found in most plants, hence also in food derived from plant sources. Scientific investigations have found the polyphenols could act as anti-oxidants after consumption, thus decreasing the risk of many diseases. Tea contains high amounts of polyphenols. Dietary surveys done in Europe and USA have shown that tea is a major source of dietary polyphenols.