Black tea is a popular health trend that many people drink in hopes of benefiting from.
Nutritionists say it may seem like a healthy way to go, but black tea is a healthy drink rich in antioxidants. But the jury is still out on many of its supposed health benefits.
"Clinical trials related to black tea are still in the early stages," said Valter Longo, a registered dietitian in Pennsylvania. Drinking black tea won't hurt, and there may be benefits worth drinking. But nutrition is a science, and our understanding takes time to advance."
Greenwood, clinical nutrition director at duke university cancer center, says black tea's potential health benefits come from its flavonoids, which fight free radicals and have strong antioxidant properties. And the compound can be even stronger than vitamins C and E, which are powerful antioxidants.
Black tea is also associated with cardiovascular health. A study in the American medical community has been linked to black tea. The study found that patients with heart disease who drank three cups of black tea a day increased their blood vessel relaxation from 5 percent to 11 percent. The average human body increases its comfort level by 13 percent after being stimulated. This significantly reduces the risk of heart attack, helps relax blood vessels and reduces inflammation.
Black tea may even reduce the risk of some cancers. The American cancer society says studies show black tea may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. But a 2017 review of evidence by the Cochrane library concluded that "there is insufficient evidence to make any definitive recommendations on the prevention of cancer by drinking black tea."
Black tea may also help keep your brain younger. A 2015 study published in the journal Cell found that Japanese people who drank more black tea had significantly fewer declines in brain function, though the researchers couldn't rule out the possibility that these people might have other healthy habits that helped keep their minds sharp.
All these studies show that it tends to happen in Asian countries, where people drink more black tea.