Facts and Myths about Tea

MYTH 1: Herbal tea is tea

False!

              Technically, tea must come from the Camillia sinensis plant

              Herbal teas are made from other plants and called "tisanes"

              Rooibos is not a tea but a tisane

              herbal teas can have health benefits

MYTH 2: Drinking green tea will make you lose weight

False!

Unfortunately, green tea has been hyped up as a magic weight loss solution.

              Study results are mixed, and the effects, if any, are so modest that they'll be wiped out by half an Oreo cookie

              Still, tea has zero calories if you don't add milk, honey or sugar

MYTH 3: Adding milk negates the health benefits of tea

It might! But it might not.

              A study in Britain indicates that adding milk may decrease the body's ability to absorb catechins in tea

              Some other recent studies have shown that milk did not negate the positives effects of tea

MYTH 4: Green tea is caffeine-free

False!

              Green tea contains caffeine

              It tends to be lower in caffeine compared with black tea

              It can still keep you up at night

Myth 5: Decaffeinated tea is caffeine-free

False!

              Decaffeinated teas still contain some caffeine

              About 1 to 5% caffeine remains after the decaffeination process

              To go caffeine free, herbal teas are your only choice

MYTH 6: Some tisanes (herbal teas) can cause allergic reactions

They might!

              Chamomile comes from the same family as ragweed

              If you have a ragweed allergy we recommend not to drink chamomile

              You might not recognize the symptoms (itchy or tickling in your throat)

              If you are sensitive to particular plants or find an unusual reaction to any tea, seek an alternative

Myth 7: Tea is not a pick me up in the morning

False!

              Caffeine in coffee gives you an quick jolt – but also a quick drop

              caffeine in tea works more effectively by having a longer lasting effect on your body

MYTH 8: You can decaffeinate a regular tea

False!

              You can certainly try, as I have, by brewing a cup for 30 seconds, tossing out the water, and starting again

              This popular technique isn't backed by any evidence

              If it does work, you're not just tossing out caffeine, you're also throwing out catechins and flavonoids