Everyone talks about green tea and its health perks, but what about black tea? Is it good for you? Does it offer any real benefits? Since both green and black tea come from the same plant, it’s easy to assume black tea can’t be that bad. To find out, we looked into how black tea is made, what’s in it, and what research says about its health effects.
What is black tea?
Black tea has been enjoyed for centuries and is the world’s second most popular drink after water. It comes from the Camellia sinensis plant and is more heavily oxidised than green or white tea.
Oxidation happens when tea leaves are bruised and their cell walls break down, causing them to turn brown and release tannins. This process unlocks different plant compounds and changes the tea’s flavor, smell, color and chemistry.
The tea plant grows best in tropical climates. It likely started in China, but it’s also grown in places like India (Darjeeling and Assam), Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Africa, South America, Australia, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, California, Central America, and even some parts of the UK. Popular black tea types include Lapsang Souchong and Dianhong (China), Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri (India), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Sun Moon Lake (Taiwan), Nepali, and Rize (Turkey).
Well-known blends include Earl Grey (black tea with bergamot oil) and English Breakfast (a strong blend that takes milk and sugar). Some black teas from high-altitude areas like Darjeeling first flush are less oxidised and have a greener, lighter quality.
Not all black teas are the same
Quality can vary a lot between brands. Several factors affect how good a black tea is:
– Type and plant health: Different varieties have distinct properties. Healthy plants and careful production make better tea.
– Environment: Good soil, the right pH, minerals, moisture, temperature, and suitable weather (rain, humidity, sunshine) matter for growing healthy plants.
– Farming methods: The amount of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used affects the tea’s quality and how it impacts your health. Sustainable methods are better for long-term soil and plant health.
– Plantation and bush management: Timing is key. Picking the right leaves at the right times helps preserve polyphenols and caffeine and produces better tea.
– Processing: Is production large-scale and standardised, or small and hands-on? How the leaves are handled after harvest affects the final quality.
– Organic: Organic tea is grown without synthetic fertilizers or most chemicals and tends to be more environmentally friendly and potentially healthier.
– Microplastics: Cheaper teas often mean lower quality and more plastic in bags. A 2010 survey found most tea bags contained polypropylene, making them non-compostable and potentially a source of tiny plastic particles in your drink.
– Dust and fannings: Many tea bags contain dust and broken leaves that have lost much of their aroma and oils. Loose-leaf tea lets the leaves expand and release more flavor and aroma.
What’s in black tea?
To judge whether black tea is good for you, it helps to know what you’re drinking. Generally, black tea contains:
– Antioxidants: Black tea has plenty of antioxidants. While green tea is known for EGCG, black tea is rich in polyphenols called theaflavins and thearubigins. These may protect fat cells from free-radical damage and help with cholesterol and blood sugar control. Theaflavins might also reduce inflammation in blood vessels and help them relax, which is good for heart health.1,2,3
– Caffeine: Caffeine can have downsides if you’re sensitive or drink too much, but it can also lift mood, boost energy and mental focus, and increase metabolism.4,5,6
– Minerals and vitamins: Black tea contains minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc, and manganese, and vitamins such as B2, C, and E. These support overall health; magnesium and zinc are especially important and can be depleted during stress.
– L-theanine: This amino acid calms the brain and nervous system, easing stress and anxiety and helping sleep. Paired with caffeine, L-theanine can improve alertness while keeping you calm.7,8,9,10
Are there harmful compounds in black tea?
Non-organic tea may be exposed to pesticides, which can be harmful. Even organic farms can be affected if nearby farms use chemicals. Some regions have more pollution; for example, in 2012 Greenpeace found high pesticide levels in samples of Chinese tea, including illegal pesticides in some.
Black tea can also contain lead and aluminium in some cases, which can contribute to heavy metal exposure and inflammation. That said, not all tea from these areas is contaminated—so it’s wise to choose brands and sources you trust.
What health benefits does black tea offer?
– Gut health: Over 70% of the immune system is linked to the gut. Polyphenols in black tea support beneficial gut bacteria11, and black tea has antibacterial properties that may lower the risk of Helicobacter pylori infection.12 One study also found antidiarrheal effects.13
– Heart health: Some studies suggest theaflavins and thearubigins affect how blood vessels respond to stress and may reduce inflammation and plaque buildup. Regular black tea drinking has been linked to lower LDL cholesterol and small reductions in blood pressure14,15,16,17 and possibly a lower risk of stroke and heart attack. One study suggested three cups a day might reduce heart disease risk.18
– Cancer prevention: While green tea gets a lot of attention, evidence shows black tea may also help. Some studies link black tea to lower risks of colon cancer, late-stage breast cancer, lung cancer in non-smoking women, and lower risks of prostate and skin cancer19,20. A compound in black tea (theaflavin TH-2) has been shown to trigger cell death in colon cancer cells and may slow tumor growth21, but more research is needed.
– Blood sugar and diabetes: Some research suggests theaflavins and other black tea compounds can improve insulin response and blood sugar control, though green tea may be more effective due to EGCG22,23.
– Bone health: Limited evidence links regular black tea drinking with lower fracture risk and slightly higher bone density in older adults24.
– Oral health: Polyphenols and tannins in black tea may help prevent dental cavities by inhibiting certain enzymes related to tooth decay25, and a small study found black tea could reduce oral leukoplakia, a potential precursor to mouth cancer26.
– Skin and anti-aging: Antioxidants and vitamins C and E in black tea support healthy skin. One animal study found black tea helped prevent collagen breakdown and reduced sun damage and wrinkles better than green tea27.
Possible side effects
– Stress, anxiety and sleep: Caffeine can cause jitteriness, raise blood sugar, and worsen anxiety for some people. Too much caffeine can also disrupt sleep.
– Weight and metabolism: High caffeine intake (over about 400 mg a day) can cause blood sugar spikes and raise cortisol, which may lead to weight gain around the belly28. Moderate black tea consumption may help weight management by improving gut bacteria balance and reducing inflammation29,30.
– Pregnancy: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests limiting caffeine to 200 mg a day during pregnancy (about two to five cups of black tea, depending on strength).
– Iron absorption: Drinking black tea with meals can reduce absorption of non-heme iron (from plants, dairy and eggs) by up to 70%31. If you’re anaemic, avoid tea with meals and wait about an hour after eating.
– Teeth: Tannins in black tea can stain teeth, though the tea also offers some protection against cavities.
– Medication: Too much caffeine can affect how some medications are absorbed—check with your doctor.
Conclusion — Is black tea good for you?
Overall, black tea seems to be good for you. It offers vitamins, minerals, and strong antioxidants—especially theaflavins and thearubigins—that can support heart health, gut health, and possibly help reduce cancer risk. But drinking too much can cause problems, especially if you’re stressed, anxious, trying to lose weight, anaemic, pregnant, or on certain medications.
The benefits depend a lot on the quality of the tea, how it’s grown and processed, and whether you choose loose-leaf over tea bags. How you brew tea matters too: a British study found that using near-boiling water (around 90°C) greatly increases antioxidant release, with most of the antioxidants infusing in the first two minutes32. They also found that tea bags reduced antioxidant release and that adding milk—especially cow’s milk—lowered polyphenol levels, possibly because of its fat content.
To get the most benefits, choose good-quality loose-leaf black tea and drink it plain or with minimal milk and sugar.
References & Resources
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872535/
2. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/atvbaha.109.199687
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743504005456
4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2007.00665.x
5. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10068-010-0151-6
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14684395
7. http://hyvinvointi.ts.fi/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Meta-analyysi-theanine-nutritionreviews72-0507.pdf
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21040626
9. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/10762800151125092
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25759004
11. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/87559129.2010.535233?journalCode=lfri20
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25779680
13. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304193128_The_Effect_of_Black_Tea_Camellia_sinensis_L_Kuntze_on_Pediatrics_With_Acute_Nonbacterial_Diarrhea_A_Randomized_Controlled_Trial
14. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/brewing-evidence-for-teas-heart-benefits
15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22198621
16. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1108657
17. https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/94/5/277/1538551
18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16855537
19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055352/
20. https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/177/12/1388/97783
21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3033565/
22. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf020514c
23. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464613001916
24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4859033/
25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3841993/
26. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15831086
27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289929/
28. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/expert-answers/blood-sugar/faq-20057941
29. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00394-017-1542-8
30. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-bacteria-and-weight
31. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/tea
32. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10945114
About the author
Petra Nakashian has written about nutrition, natural health, and ingredient research for over 10 years. After losing both parents to cancer when she was young, she became deeply interested in how diet and lifestyle affect long-term health. Petra focuses on evidence-based wellness writing, drawing on scientific studies and expert sources, and she’s known for explaining hidden ingredients in everyday foods and drinks to help readers make clearer, healthier choices.