Compare tea

Research · Tea

What our research found about tea

True teas (black, green, white, oolong, matcha, pu-erh) all come from the Camellia sinensis plant and contain caffeine, while herbal “teas” such as chamomile, peppermint and rooibos are infusions of other plants and are usually caffeine-free. Harvard’s Nutrition Source reports that observational studies link two to three cups of tea a day with lower risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes (while noting that trials are still needed, and that very hot tea may raise esophageal-cancer risk), and the NIH’s NCCIH says study results on green tea have been inconsistent, reports no safety concerns for green tea consumed as a beverage by adults, and warns that concentrated green tea extract supplements have been linked to rare liver injury. Plain tea is one ingredient; flavored and chai blends add natural flavors, spices, sweeteners and dried fruit, and “wellness” blends add herbs with their own cautions.

Matcha is made from ground whole leaf, so the leaf itself is consumed; bagged, loose-leaf and ready-to-drink teas differ in freshness and sweetness. Bottled teas often contain added sugar, while concentrates and latte mixes add sweeteners and dairy. Herbal blends can interact with medications, so people on prescriptions should check with a clinician before regular use of unfamiliar herbs.

Products

14218 brands

Full labels recorded

4733% of the shelf

Maker says organic

23maker’s claim

List an added sweetener

6of 47 labels

List a seed oil

0of 47 labels

Typical label length

7ingredients (median)

Counts use complete, current ingredient labels only. Records without a published label stay unknown and are never counted as clean.

What to compare

• True tea or herbal. Camellia sinensis teas contain caffeine; herbal infusions generally do not.
• Flavoring and sweeteners. Flavored, chai and latte products list natural flavors, spices and sugar.
• Format. Loose leaf, bags, matcha powder and ready-to-drink differ in freshness and price per cup.
• Organic and fair-trade claims. Certification describes farming and labor practices.

References

1. Tea Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
2. Green tea NCCIH, National Institutes of Health
3. About tea Tea Association of the USA
4. Spilling the beans: how much caffeine is too much? U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5. Organic labeling and what the USDA Organic seal means USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
6. Fair Trade standards Fairtrade America