Early days

It might seem strange but tea used to be sold by apothecaries, or chemists as we know them today.

English diarist Samuel Pepys recorded coming home in 1667 to find his wife making tea, “which Mr Pelling the potticary tells her is good for her cold and defluxions”. It was also claimed, among other things, that tea “maketh the body active and lusty” and "taketh away the difficulty of breathing”.

One Dutch physician claimed in the early days of tea-drinking that fans were “exempt from all maladies and reach an extreme old age”. When it was first introduced to this country the tea-drinking habit no doubt saved lives because it involved drinking boiled water, which destroys a host of disease-carrying bacteria.

From beer to tea

Before its introduction into England, the regular breakfast drink of choice – for everyone from Queen Elizabeth I to commoners and even children – had been ale. This might seem strange today but ale did provide a healthy amount of B vitamins, iron and antioxidants.

This practice changed when, in the 18th century, Queen Anne began starting her day with tea and a new trend was born.



Herbal teas – also known as infusions – have been used to ease a wide variety of ailments for centuries. Made from the roots, flowers, bark, seeds, stems or leaves of herbs and spices, they contain no black tea, and therefore no caffeine, and so are not strictly tea. Each has its own healing quality: peppermint tea, for example, eases digestion, while camomile tea is soothing.

Flavoured teas and infusions are our sixth most popular tea, according to the Sainsbury’s survey. Ordinary tea is the bestseller, followed by Earl Grey, Assam, green tea and Kenyan. Green tea, like black tea, is made from the leaf of the Camellia sinensis plant. While black tea is fermented before drying, green tea is dried untreated.

But what does it do?

“If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you.” William Gladstone (1809-1898)

We often reach for a refreshing cuppa when we need a pick-me-up, or in times of crisis, but is this enduring English icon actually good for us?

For starters, scientists have discovered that it’s good for the heart. Black and green tea is a rich source of a group of antioxidants called flavonoids, which may help prevent cholesterol from damaging arteries. A study conducted in Saudi Arabia found tea-drinkers were 19% less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than non-tea-drinkers.

Antioxidants, which are found abundantly in fresh fruit and vegetables, are also cancer-fighting. “There is eight times the amount of antioxidant power in three cups of tea than there is in one apple,” says the Tea Council.

Taken without any milk or sugar, tea contains no calories. Four cups a day taken with milk provides 17% of the recommended daily intake for calcium, 5% of zinc, 22% of Vitamin B2 and 5% of folic acid and Vitamins B1 and B6. Tea is also a natural source of fluoride, which strengthens tooth enamel, and the minerals manganese and potassium.

As consumers become more health-conscious, sales of decaffeinated and organic varieties (grown without the use of toxic chemicals or pesticides) have increased. The Fairtrade symbol on packaging means workers on the plantations have been paid decent wages and allowed to join trade unions. Minimum health and safety and environmental standards also have to be complied with.

On the other hand...

Drinking too much tea does have its downsides. While the Tea Council points to scientific research highlighting the benefits of drinking at least four cups of day per day, independent watchdog the Food Standards Agency (FSA) warns that people shouldn’t rely on tea, coffee and colas as their only source of fluid.

“Caffeinated drinks can act as mild diuretics, which means they make the body produce more urine,” says the FSA. “Some people are more susceptible to this than others, but it also depends on how much caffeine you have and how often you have it. Excessive amounts of tea should be avoided.”

Caffeine can become addictive if drunk in large quantities, although a cup of tea does contain around half the caffeine content of coffee. While green tea is bursting with antioxidants, contrary to popular belief it does contain caffeine.

Both tea and coffee also contain polyphenols, which make it harder for the body to absorb iron. It’s therefore advisable to avoid drinking them with meals, or up to 30 minutes after a meal.