WATCH OUT! If you’re a health-conscious consumer you may not be getting what you pay for by drinking tea.

At the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Boston, reported on August 22, 2010 that many of the popular tea beverages on the market contain fewer polyphenols than one cup of Teabag-brewed green or black tea. Some contain such insignificant amounts that consumers would have to drink 20 bottles to get the “polyphenols” present in one cup of tea bag brewed tea.

People who drink tea are usually aware of the health benefits but unaware of the actual amounts of health nutrients, polyphenols. This research showed that most bottle tea beverages found that the polyphenol content is really low.

The authors pointed out that the bottled tea contained additional substances, including large amounts of sugar and this adds calories that the consumer may be trying to avoid. The study also measured the level of polyphenols, a collection of natural antioxidants linked to anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties. Half of them contained almost no antioxidants and the remainder had little positive health benefits.

People would have to drink bottle after bottle of these teas to receive health benefits. The author also said. “I was surprised at the low polyphenol content. I didn’t expect it to be at such a low level.”

The authors also found that some manufacturers list the amount of polyphenols on the bottle. However, the amounts are often incorrect, because there are no industry or government standards for measuring and listing the polyphenolic compounds in a given beverage.

The major finding of the study is to brew your own tea bag and drink that for health benefits. Check back to this blog regularly for enlightening health info…or call 201.618.3534 to speak to Dr. Robert at no charge.