5 Tea Myths... Debunked

Hello there! As Halloween approaches, our minds turn to spooks and specters (and Regina Spektors, if you like sweet beats!) as we explore all manner of things that go bump in the night— or in our mind.

We might be of the age when rubber masks in a Spirit of Halloween store no longer cause quite the chills that they used to, but there are still some very real scary things that can bother us.

Like… tea myths.

Oh yes.

These are terrifying things.

Tea myths take the form of misinformation or uneducated opinions disguised as fact, and I believe it’s time to take them in hand and lay these ghosts to rest for the remainder of fright season. So, grab your Bones Double-Wall Mug and curl up with a cuppa as I dispel these tall tales.

So here’s what I’m going to do: we’re going to take the biggest tea myths the way they’re popularly phrased as one big mega-myth, break down each part of that myth, and put your mind at ease in the process. Sound good?

Excellent. Here we go:

Big Tea Mega-Myth

All tea has caffeine, and caffeine is a harsh stimulant, and that makes tea bad, so you shouldn’t drink it and besides, no one drinks tea, anyway.

If you’re a seasoned sipper, you can probably poke holes in most of that statement already. But what about the science and sociology that can serve as the evidence we need that the above reasonings are totally ludicrous?

I got you, bro.

Part 1: All tea has caffeine...

Not true! Only certain varieties, namely all “true tea,” ie: anything black, green, white, oolong, or delectable Pu-Erh that comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant contain caffeine.

Yerba mate as well as three other caffeinated plants in the holly family), and unique little leaves like the most interesting Arabica coffee leaf also contain natural caffeine without being true teas.

Beyond that, take a gander at all the caffeine-free possibilities within the realm of herbals! Even heart-pumping teas like rooibos are still energizing only because they enhance cardiovascular function, not because they are caffeinated.

Part 2: ...and caffeine is a harsh stimulant...

Not necessarily. Caffeine is documented to have both positive and negative effects, depending on the dose and medium. Some schools of thought, such as Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, advocate shirking from caffeine sources in favor of allowing the body to derive energy from food sources instead.

However, Medical News Today documents caffeine’s benefits for weight loss, alertness, and sports performance, among other helpful life hacks. At the end of the day, when you come across blanket statements implying that something is “good” or bad”, do the research and decide for yourself or consult a physician.

Part 3: ...and that makes tea bad…

Nonsense. This is where that “do your own research and decide for yourself” bit comes in handy. Tea is packed full of antioxidants with extensively studied health benefits and medicinal properties — and these have been studied not without good reason! The average healthy adult the in US still gets relatively few antioxidants when left to their own devices for personal food choices, so tea is a great way to fill in those gaps for that vital micronutrient. (And yes, you need antioxidants to help your major bodily functions.) Please don’t skip out on them.

Part 4: ...so you shouldn’t drink it…

You should drink whatever you want, and never feel forced or obliged to follow advice unless it resonates with you and your preferences. If you don’t enjoy the sensation of caffeine, then there are plenty of amazing, fantastic options to choose from that can still send you to sleep peacefully. Never fear!

Part 5: …and besides, no one drinks tea anyway.

My dear. My dearie dear dear dear.

I must beg to differ.

Sit down. This is where I get to re-grab your attention, because I believe that this is the most grievous myth of all. Just because tea doesn’t have the quite the press— pun intended— that coffee does, I want to draw your attention to famous tea-drinkers like Captain Jean-Luc Picard (who could forget that preference for Earl Grey?) and Uncle Iroh’s signature jasmine tea in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon, as well as the wealth of tea pop culture that’s grown up in recent years.

Adagio has singlehandedly pioneered tea as a community event, integrating creativity, individual expression, and fandom with their signature blends section and warm-welcoming communiTEA. It’s hard to pick up a cup and not feel the joy of being part of a hobby shared by millions of people around the globe! (Most of whom also appreciate Star Trek and ATLA, which is always an extra fuzzy-happy sensation because it means that those are definitely folks worth being online friends with!)

And there you have it. May you sleep soundly tonight— caffeinated or not— and may you never feel spooked again by the above claims against your favorite drink.

Cheers!

Natasha Nesic

NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, Founder of Work Life Fitness