Drinking unsweetened tea is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of death from all causes, as well as from cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, tea with added sugar or sweeteners does not have this effect, according to a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
The study included 195,361 volunteers aged 37 to 73. Individuals with insufficient health data, pregnant women, and those whose energy intake deviated significantly from the norm were excluded from the analysis. Only participants who completed a 24-hour online food diary at least once were included in the sample.
The study authors compared the effects of three types of tea—unsweetened, sugared, and artificially sweetened—on overall and cause-specific mortality. The main focus was on black tea, which was the most frequently consumed by participants.
Those who drank 3.5 to 4.5 cups of tea per day had a 20% lower risk of death from all causes, a 27% lower risk from cardiovascular disease, and a 14% lower risk from cancer. These effects were independent of genetic factors affecting caffeine metabolism. In contrast, tea with sugar or sweeteners did not provide a protective benefit.
Sweetened tea drinkers were more often men, consumed less fruit, and generally led less healthy lifestyles—they smoked and were more likely to have excess weight, hypertension, and chronic diseases.
