If you want to live longer, brew yourself a cup of tea...
Tea is one of the most-consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. Folks around the globe drink around 5 billion cups each day. And more than half of Americans drink at least a cup of tea each day.
That's an awful lot. And those numbers continue to grow each year.
This is one trend that I support. Not only is tea one of my favorite drinks, but it has tremendous health benefits.
Today, I'll break down why you should brew yourself a cup today. I'll also reveal which teas you should drink – and which you should avoid.
The benefits of drinking tea aren't exactly new to us. Just look at one of the countries most associated with tea... China.
A 2020 cohort study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology compared the health outcomes of more than 100,000 Chinese adults over a seven-year period, based on how often they drank tea. The participants were divided into two groups: folks who drank three or more cups of tea each week, and those who either drank less or didn't drink it at all.
The researchers found that habitual tea drinkers had a 20% lower risk of having heart disease or a stroke compared with folks who drank tea less or not at all. Tea drinkers also had a 22% lower risk of dying from heart disease or a stroke and a 15% decreased risk of dying from any cause during the length of the study.
Sipping some tea is a simple way to support a longer healthspan – that is, a life free from disease and dysfunction. But don't head off to your local grocery store just yet... First, you should know about the different types of tea and their unique benefits.
Why You Should Drink These Five Types of Tea
It would be impossible to share the intricacies of all the different blends and varieties of tea. So we've broken them down into five general categories: black, green, oolong, white, and herbal...
Black, green, oolong, and white teas are all made from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and go through different degrees of oxidation. Tea oxidation involves rolling or tumbling the leaves to damage them ever so slightly before exposing them to the air. Then once the desired level of oxidation is reached, heat (like steam, for instance) is added to stop the chemical reaction.
Oxidation plays a big role in what a tea variety ultimately looks and tastes like. Generally speaking, more oxidation produces a darker tea.
Black Tea
Black tea is the most consumed tea in the U.S. It contains catechins, theaflavins, and thearubigins – beneficial plant compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Catechins help protect your body from harmful inflammation. Theaflavins help the body manage blood sugar and body fat. Thearubigins are anti-inflammatory and help with bone formation.
And research suggests that this tea could also help protect against diabetes...
A 2025 study followed 382,946 U.K. adults for an average of 14 years. Compared with non-tea-drinkers, those who drank four to five cups of black or green tea daily had a 14% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Black tea is considered fully oxidized, so its flavor may include smoky, malty, or metallic notes. These often make it taste stronger than other teas, so sometimes they're blended with other flavors to enhance the taste profile.
Some popular black-tea varieties include Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and Darjeeling. Another more flavorful variety is chai, a type of tea originating in India that combines black tea with spices and is often made with steamed milk.
Green Tea
In the past, I've warned folks against taking dangerous green tea supplements. But the drink itself is safe for most folks and packed with inflammation-fighting catechins.
Studies have linked regular green-tea drinking with a number of incredible cardiovascular health benefits. Not to mention, green tea could help protect your brain as you age...
A 2025 Japanese study followed 13,660 adults for about 12 years. Participants who drank the most green tea enjoyed a 25% lower risk of developing dementia versus those who drank the least.
Of course, a cup of tea is just one way to keep your brain healthy... which is why I put together my recent book, Power Up Your Brain! In it, I share even more of the simple, science-backed habits you can start today to protect your memory and keep your mind sharp.
As for green tea itself, it's minimally oxidized, so it maintains a bittersweet, grassy-like flavor and typically has a light-green or yellow color.
A few different green teas to try include Sencha, Tencha, and Matcha, which is the powdered form of Tencha. I enjoy green tea most when it's infused with a bit of jasmine.
Oolong Tea
Like black tea, oolong tea contains catechins, theaflavins, and theasinensins. It's especially good for fighting harmful inflammation and maintaining healthy blood-sugar levels.
A small study looked at the effects of oolong tea on 20 Taiwanese adults with Type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that drinking 1,500 milliliters (a little over 6 cups) of oolong tea a day over four weeks – combined with the normal diabetic drug regimen – decreased folks' blood-sugar levels by about 70 milligrams per deciliter. In contrast, the participants drinking only water did not experience a decrease in their blood-sugar levels.
Oolong tea may seem like a black tea because of its caramel color and bold flavor. But it's actually its own category that falls somewhere between a black tea and a green tea, in that it's partially oxidized. Oolong often has floral and fruity flavor notes as well.
Some popular oolong teas to try are Iron Goddess of Mercy (Ti Kuan Yin), Phoenix (Dan Cong), and Wuyi (Da Hong Pao).
White Tea
White tea is also high in anti-inflammatory catechin levels. And some studies show drinking white tea may help with weight management when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
White tea is minimally oxidized. Like green tea, it has a very light and refreshing flavor. It often tastes very earthy or floral and maintains a light color when brewed.
Some popular varieties to try are Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen), White Peony (Bai Mu Dan), and Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei).
Herbal Tea
While we know them as teas, some folks would say these aren't really "true teas."
That's because – as I mentioned before – black, green, oolong, and white teas are all made with leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas are not.
Instead, they're made with other plants, herbs, and/or spices. For that reason, they're sometimes called tisanes. But we'll just keep calling them teas for simplicity's sake.
Herbal teas come in a wide variety of colors and flavors. They may be spicy, minty, or floral. Some popular ones include ginger and chamomile. Unlike "true teas," you'll see a wider range in terms of health benefits due to the different ingredients. We can't cover all the herbal teas here, but here are a couple examples...
Studies show that ginger tea is great for calming an upset stomach and alleviating nausea.
A 2021 study looked at the effects of ginger tea on women who were receiving chemotherapy treatment for gynecological cancers. Researchers found that the participants who drank ginger tea and also received the standard anti-nausea treatment reported less nausea and vomiting – and less of the distress associated with nausea and vomiting – than those who only received the standard treatment.
And chamomile tea is helpful for relaxation. A 2015 study found drinking chamomile tea for two weeks (when combined with postnatal care) helped postpartum women who were sleep-disturbed and depressed find relief faster than the women who received postpartum care alone.
A few things to note...
Black, green, oolong, and white teas generally contain caffeine, so it's best to avoid drinking them in the evening before bed or if you're sensitive to caffeine. When buying any kind of boxed tea, check the label to see how much caffeine it contains. Don't assume it's caffeine-free unless it's labeled as such.
And calling a beverage "tea" doesn't automatically make it good for you. You should avoid teas that are sweetened with lots of added sugar – like a green tea latte or bubble tea, for example. If you're in the mood for something sweet, do what I do and put a little bit of honey or some berries in your tea.
Also, avoid "detox teas" that make fast weight-loss claims. These are junk made for fad diets and likely contain harmful ingredients, like laxatives. Stick with brands you know and read the ingredients – especially if you have food allergies. I really like buying Bigelow brand tea bags.
What We're Reading...
- Something different: A new species of fuzzy fish was named after a Sesame Street character.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
October 1, 2026