Strange brew?

No, I’m not referring to that song by Cream and Eric Clapton but rather the difference in health benefits between bottled tea and home-brewed tea.

There’s no denying that bottled tea is extremely popular. In fact, it’s easy to understand why. Take a commercial tea-based product...

Add some flavours that appeal to your market. Hype it up with some clever persuasive advertising and you’ve got a winner! But do you really?

According to this article, scientists have found that many popular bottled tea drinks contain fewer polyphenols than a single cup of home-brewed green or black tea.

In fact in some products, the amount of polyphenols is so low that a person would have to gulp has much as 20 bottles to get the same amount found in a single cup of tea!

Now you may be thinking: “What’s all the fuss about polyphenols anyway?” Well, polyphenols are antioxidants which can help reduce the amount of free radical activity in your body and may even help reduce the risk of heart disease.

In the article, Shiming Li, an analytical and natural product chemist for WellGen, is quoted as saying the following:

"Polyphenols are bitter and astringent, but to target as many consumers as they can, manufacturers want to keep the bitterness and astringency at a minimum. The simplest way is to add less tea, which makes the tea polyphenol content low, but tastes smoother and sweeter."

On a hot summer day, some people may be tempted to go out and buy a bottled tea product to quench their thirst. However, why not brew your own tea at home then pour it into a container and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

You’ll soon have an ice-cold refreshing drink that’s packed with more potential health benefits than any commercial product and much cheaper too!

Leave a comment (all fields required)

Subscribe to our Health Matters newsletter
Made in New Zealand Made in New Zealand
Natural Ingredients Natural Ingredients
Free Shipping Over $100 Free Shipping Over $100
Trusted Brand for 25 Years Trusted Brand for 25 Years
365 Day Guarantee 365 Day Guarantee

Search