10/14/2026
A number of ways Tea can be good for you
- column in WDDTY magazine -
Tea — and green tea in particular-could be the ultimate super-drink. It reduces your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, cognitive decline and age-related muscle loss.
Tea is made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis and is rich in polyphenol antioxidants, especially catechins, which help maintain muscle mass.
Researchers from the Tea Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences reviewed studies that had investigated the benefits of tea. They discovered that the drink has neuroprotective effects, helps reduce muscle loss in seniors, and is an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.
Green tea has cardiovascular protective effects, reduces blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels, while many studies show that regular tea drinking lowers the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
Tea can also aid weight loss, and green tea catechins can improve metabolic parameters in obese individuals. It could also have neuroprotective qualities and help preserve muscle mass. Regular tea drinkers have fewer biomarkers for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.
The researchers sound one word of caution: Drink the real thing. Sugary bubble teas and bottled teas don't have the same health benefits and could do more harm than good.
Beverage Plant Res, 2025; 5(1): e035
