Tea is to mornings as Kanye is to Kanye; important.

And who knew that we’d been on such a health kick our ENTIRE LIVES by dousing ourselves in the stuff up to three or four times a day? Look at us go, practically on Atkins.

Not a tea drinker? You will be after this…

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1. Tea contains antioxidants

Just like the WD40 you spray onto your bike lock every couple of weeks, tea protects your body from the ravages of age and the effects of general wear and tear.

One of the more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (try saying that thrice), which has lent a hand to the treatment of all sorts of diseases. 

2. Tea may help to reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes

Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, similar to the way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear (but a bit less grim to think about).

A study supporting this followed more than 37,000 people in the Netherlands for 13 years and found that people who drink plenty of cuppas are less likely to die of heart disease than people who aren’t so inclined.

The study went on to say that participants who drank three to six cups of tea per day were 45% less likely to die from heart disease than those who drank less than one cup – AND drinking more than six cups of tea per day was associated with a 36% lower risk of developing heart disease than drinking less than one cup. 

3. Black tea is calorie-free

Black Tea doesn’t contain any calories, not even one – well, unless you add sweetener or milk. Then you’re on your own.

But think about it in the long run: consuming even 250 fewer calories per day can result in losing one pound of fat per week. If you compare a cup of black or green tea to the cup of milky tea with heaps of sugar you’ve previously been chugging all day, it’s a no-brainer. 

4. Tea may help kickstart your metabolism

Having a slow metabolic rate makes losing weight hard, and maintaining weight a nightmare.

Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Yes, you heard us right – you can actually shed excess weight by consuming more. What a time to be alive! 

5. Tea helps to keep you hydrated 

Caffeinated beverages, including tea, were originally on the list of beverages that did nothing for our daily liquid needs.

Since caffeine is a diuretic (diuretic drinks make us go to the loo more than regular ones), the thought was that caffeinated beverages couldn’t contribute to our overall fluid requirement. However, recent research has shown that the caffeine really doesn’t matter – tea and other caffeinated beverages definitely contribute to our fluid needs. 

Scientists go on to say that tea is even better for you than water. According to Dr Carrie Ruxton of King’s College in London: “Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it’s got two things going for it.”

6. Drinking tea may help protect from UV rays

Bear in mind that we’re not saying to either: a) shower in tea before you go outdoors or b) ditch suncream altogether. But research shows that people who drink green tea may feel the benefits of an internal sun-cream if you will, due to being rich in antioxidants that scavenge harmful free radicals in the body, and on the skin.

What a treat to see written down, especially when you’re as translucent as we are, and have been drinking tea since the days or yore. Looks like we’ve nailed it from the beginning.

Hap-tea days!