Tea Myths Exposed
We would like to set the record straight on a few things. For starters, tea contains less caffeine than coffee and it has many proven benefits. Read on...

Tea and hydration


It's a common myth that tea dehydrates you because the caffeine acts as a diuretic.

In actual fact, tea is an important source of fluids and helps to keep your body hydrated. Experts now understand that caffeine levels at a normal level of tea intake are too low to be diuretic. In any event, regular tea drinkers become immune to its effect. We find drinking tea all day is a much more enjoyable way of staying hydrated than trying to drink 2 litres of plain water a day.

Tea and caffeine


Another common myth is that a cup of tea contains the same amount of caffeine as coffee.

In fact, a typical cup of tea contains at least half the caffeine of a typical cup of coffee.
Preliminary research has shown that when the level of caffeine in tea and coffee is identical, alertness across the day may be more consistent in the tea drinkers. Scientists now believe that L-theanine, in combination with caffeine, may well be responsible for the positive effect of tea on alertness. No adverse effects of tea drinking on hydration or iron status have been found at normal levels of consumption.

Tea and sleep


Some people avoid drinking tea in the evening as they are concerned that the caffeine may adversely affect their sleep.

Emerging evidence around L-theanine's possible effect on sleep quality suggests that this concern may be unwarranted. The studies undertaken so far suggest that the L-theanine content of tea may have positive effects on sleep quality.

Tea and stress


At moments of stress, lots of us instinctively reach for the kettle and have a cup of tea. It's not an old wives tale - there is actually a good reason.

A study by University College London and Unilever found that people who drank tea were able to manage their stress more quickly than those who drank a fake tea substitute . Furthermore, the study participants, who drank black tea four times a day for six weeks, were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood after stressful events, compared with a control group who drank the fake or placebo tea for the same period of time.

Green tea is better for you than black tea


This is a complex debate but some experts believe that both are as good as each other. They do after all come from the same bush. The catechins in green tea are absorbed higher up in the gut than the more complex polyphenols of black tea. From the vast amounts of health studies available, it seems that green tea is more likely to protect our cardiovascular system and black tea it more likely to offer protection against cancer. Both are clearly highly beneficial.

¹ 'The effects of tea on psychophysiological stress responsivity and post-stress recovery: a randomised double-blind trial' Journal Psychopharmacology (2006).