We Requested 3 Consultants the Healthiest Kind of Tea to Drink Each Day—They All Mentioned the Similar Factor

When temperatures fall, it’s not unusual to trade your typical iced beverage for one thing heat and soothing—like tea. As you kind by your stash of tea baggage or free leaves, although, you would possibly surprise if there’s one sort that stands out because the healthiest.

Whereas dietitians agree that each one teas ship some advantages, three consultants say one selection has essentially the most to supply.

All three dietitians Well being spoke to agree: inexperienced tea tops the listing for wellness. 

In line with registered dietitian and The Sound of Cooking founder Cindy Chou, RDN, inexperienced tea has been studied extra extensively than different varieties, offering stronger proof for its well being advantages.

Inexperienced tea accommodates excessive quantities of antioxidants—compounds that may neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that harm cells—like L-theanine and a gaggle of flavonoids referred to as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). These antioxidants might clarify analysis pointing to inexperienced tea’s potential advantages, consultants mentioned.

Chief amongst them, in keeping with Maggie Moon, MS, RD, writer of The MIND Food regimen: 2nd Version, is a lift to mind well being.

A 2017 assessment, for instance, discovered that inexperienced tea influenced components comparable to nervousness, reminiscence, and a spotlight, whereas a 2025 examine reported that older adults who usually drank inexperienced tea had fewer of the mind lesions related to dementia in comparison with non-drinkers.

Inexperienced tea’s advantages might lengthen to the cardiovascular system as effectively. Research have discovered that ingesting inexperienced tea might assist decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “dangerous”) ldl cholesterol and whole ldl cholesterol, not directly supporting coronary heart well being. (That mentioned, proof suggests black tea might provide related advantages.)

On the subject of most cancers prevention, nonetheless, the proof is much less convincing. Nonetheless, one examine discovered some, albeit “weak,” proof that inexperienced tea would possibly scale back the chance of sure cancers—together with bladder, gastric, and esophageal sorts—however discovered no related affiliation for black tea.

Typically, a cup of inexperienced tea is a wholesome selection—one you may get pleasure from sizzling within the winter or iced in the summertime. Simply do not forget that it does include caffeine—about 30 to 50 milligrams per cup, Moon mentioned—so it won’t be applicable for everybody.

Chou famous that consultants suggest that pregnant and breastfeeding girls restrict their caffeine consumption to underneath 200 milligrams per day and that kids underneath 12 keep away from caffeine altogether.

Individuals with nervousness problems which can be exacerbated by caffeine might also must restrict inexperienced tea, added Jennifer Bianchini, MS, RD, IFNCP, RYT, purposeful dietitian and founding father of Physique to Soul Well being.

“For many wholesome adults, lower than 400 milligrams of caffeine (as much as about eight 8-ounce cups of inexperienced tea) is mostly thought of secure,” Chou mentioned. That mentioned, caffeine can have an effect on totally different folks in several methods, and a few persons are particularly delicate.