5 Health Benefits of Drinking Tea Every Day

By Vivian Chung- Far beyond a comforting ritual, your daily cup of tea might be doing more than keeping you hydrated. Enjoyed around the world for centuries, tea is packed with nutrient compounds that may support everything from heart health to brain function. Here’s what nutrition experts say about the health benefits of drinking tea every day.

1.  Regulates Your Metabolism

Green tea, especially, contains bioactive compounds that can help regulate metabolism. While the size of the effect can vary, Zenker says EGCG has been found to boost fat burning and improve insulin sensitivity.

Drinking tea in general has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, with about two cups per day showing benefits, and a 15% reduced risk observed at four cups per day, Zenker points out.

“Many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, are closely related to metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and insulin resistance. By influencing inflammatory processes, tea consumption may indirectly support metabolic health and insulin sensitivity,” Zenker says.

2. Supports Blood Sugar Control

Black tea, which contains about 269 milligrams of flavan-3-ols per 8-ounce cup, is linked to better blood sugar control. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a daily intake of 400 to 600 milligrams of flavan-3-ols from food sources to help reduce risks associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. “Flavan-3-ols have been found to reduce blood pressure, improve cholesterol and blood sugar control. The higher the intake, the lower the risk of CVD,” says Meghan Laszlo, MS, RD, CSO, clinical nutrition coordinator at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. “Flavan-3-ols lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, A1C, and raise HDL cholesterol.”

Regular tea drinking is also associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, coronary heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

3. Helps Your Gut Microbiome

The polyphenols in tea also feed the good bacteria in your gut, helping support the growth of beneficial microbes like Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, Zenker points out. An optimal ratio of these is linked to a lower risk of obesity and metabolic disorders.

“Tea has been found to decrease the amount of inflammatory compounds produced by gut bacteria, like lipopolysaccharides,” says Zenker. Tea also helps fuel the production of short-chain fatty acids, beneficial compounds that gut microbes make during digestion, supporting a more balanced gut microbiome overall. “Green tea in particular has been found to support the growth of helpful bacteria and decrease the growth of harmful bacteria,” says Zenker. “This finding was associated with intake of four to five cups of green tea per day.”

4. Regulates Your Metabolism

Green tea, especially, contains bioactive compounds that can help regulate metabolism. While the size of the effect can vary, Zenker says EGCG has been found to boost fat burning and improve insulin sensitivity.

Drinking tea in general has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, with about two cups per day showing benefits, and a 15% reduced risk observed at four cups per day, Zenker points out.

“Many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, are closely related to metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and insulin resistance. By influencing inflammatory processes, tea consumption may indirectly support metabolic health and insulin sensitivity,” Zenker says.

 5. Supports Blood Sugar Control

Black tea, which contains about 269 milligrams of flavan-3-ols per 8-ounce cup, is linked to better blood sugar control. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a daily intake of 400 to 600 milligrams of flavan-3-ols from food sources to help reduce risks associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. “Flavan-3-ols have been found to reduce blood pressure, improve cholesterol and blood sugar control. The higher the intake, the lower the risk of CVD,” says Meghan Laszlo, MS, RD, CSO, clinical nutrition coordinator at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. “Flavan-3-ols lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, A1C, and raise HDL cholesterol.”

Regular tea drinking is also associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, coronary heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. (realsimple)