Over 4 in 5 Brits fail to connect tea with these 5 science-backed health benefits: Tea Advisory Panel Reports
Experts share 5 benefits of a brew in time for International Tea Day - 21st May
LONDON, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year, the 21st of May marks International Tea Day – a day the United Nations has designated as an opportunity to celebrate not only tea's cultural heritage and importance to economies around the world, but also the health benefits that come from brewing up.
This year it coincides with the publishing of a new real-world research survey[1] of over 1,000 Brits, reviewed by the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP; www.teaadvisorypanel.com). The survey results shine a harsh light on our lack of knowledge of the health benefits of regular tea drinking, with over four in five Brits failing to make the link between their daily cuppa and benefits to their heart health, brain health, bone health, mental health, and sleep.
- Heart and blood vessel health
"The new TAP review reveals worrying insights into people's perceptions surrounding the health benefits of enjoying several daily cuppas," comments Registered Dietitian and TAP member Dr Carrie Ruxton, continuing, "For example, 84% didn't associate drinking tea with improving heart health and 83% didn't associate it with lowering blood pressure."
This is despite the latest scientific evidence backing up this benefit. For example, a recent meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials – the gold standard of scientific evidence – found that foods rich in specific polyphenols, called flavan-3-ols, considerably lower raised blood pressure and improve blood vessel function.[2] A major source of these polyphenols is tea.
"This super study on dietary sources of flavan-3-ols provides evidence that including tea in the diet is a good way to help prevent heart disease – the number one global killer,"[3] says fellow TAP member and tea expert Dr Tim Bond, adding, "What's more, the publishing of the new TAP review in line with International Tea Day highlights the fact that we have an important job to do in raising awareness of the health benefits of a brew this year. Too few people know that popping on the kettle can have a far-reaching effect on their wellbeing." - Relaxation and sleep
In addition to heart health, there are also benefits relating to how well we sleep but 87% didn't make the link between drinking tea and improved sleep.
Fellow TAP member, researcher and nutritionist, Dr Emma Derbyshire comments, "This poor knowledge of tea's potential in helping us get a good night's rest – essential to overall good health – comes despite solid science to back up the link. For example, a recent super study of human trials and mechanistic studies found a growing body of evidence that just one or two cups of tea a day, including green, oolong, and herbal infusions, could help support sleep and help us to relax."[4] - Mental health
Scientific evidence that tea supports our mental health is also stacking up. Yet, 67% didn't associate drinking tea with reducing stress or anxiety and 86% didn't make the connection between tea drinking and easing low mood or depression.
"People simply aren't aware of the science despite the potentially grave consequences for our physical and mental health," says Dr Carrie Ruxton, adding, "For example, a recent review of the latest scientific evidence suggests that certain active ingredients in tea could help reduce the effects of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. These substances include L-theanine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), arginine, catechins, theaflavins, caffeine, theacrine, and a number of volatile compounds."[5] - Brain health
"When it comes to keeping our brain healthy, a study of more than 4,000 people found that regular tea drinking was significantly associated with a lower chance of having cognitive impairment in middle age and older age," explains Dr Tim Bond.
Cognitive impairment is an umbrella term for problems with memory, understanding, reasoning, and problem-solving. Frequent tea drinking and drinking green tea in particular were noted to be especially beneficial in this study.[6] However, 91% of TAP study review respondents didn't make the connection between drinking tea and better cognitive health. - Bone health
Research also shows that tea is supportive of our skeletal system. For example, as Dr Bond Tim explains, "A super study of 18 individual studies involving more than 48,000 postmenopausal women found that drinking tea resulted in higher bone mineral density around the hips. Drinking tea also lowered their risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures."[7]
Despite this scientific evidence to back tea's bone supporting capabilities, when polled, 94% of respondents to the latest TAP data review didn't associate drinking tea with supporting bone health.
Dr Carrie Ruxton concludes, "The latest TAP data review demonstrates how much of a worrying knowledge gap exists between Brits' understanding of the health benefits of a brew and the latest scientific research. International Tea Day is a chance for us to raise awareness of the boost we can all give to the health of our hearts, brains, and bones – as well as to reducing our risk of poor sleep and mental health problems – simply by sticking the kettle on for a regular cuppa throughout the day."
The Tea Advisory Panel: The Tea Advisory Panel is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from the UK TEA & INFUSIONS ASSOCIATION, the trade association for the UK tea industry. The Panel has been created to provide media with impartial information regarding the health benefits of tea. Panel members include nutritionists; dieticians and doctors.
[1] Perspectus Global; April 2025;1015 respondents
[2] Lagou V, et al. (2025). Impact of flavan-3-ols on blood pressure and endothelial function in diverse populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, zwaf173, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf173
[3] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death
[4] Derbyshire E, et al. (2023) Tea and Herbal Infusions, Psychological Stress, Anxiety & Sleep Health: A Systematic Review of Human Trials & Mechanistic Studies. Nutr Food Technol Open Access 9(1): dx.doi.org/10.16966/2470-6086.182
[5] Han Z., et al. (2024). Uncovering the effects and mechanisms of tea and its components on depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders: A comprehensive review. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 197(Pt 1), 115191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115191
[6] Zhang, J., et al. (2020). Association between tea consumption and cognitive impairment in middle-aged and older adults. BMC geriatrics, 20(1), 447. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01848-6
[7] Zhang, et al. (2025). Tea consumption and bone health in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of osteoporosis, 20(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-025-01506-7
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