A question that comes up time and again among our more health conscious customers is whether tea is in fact hydrating. Our recommended daily fluid intake is about two litres in order to prevent dehydration but can drinking our beloved cuppa contribute to this?
Thankfully the answer is YES! In fact, in Britain, it is estimated that 40% of our daily fluid intake is tea, enjoyed either hot or as iced tea.
While coffee and tea contain caffeine, which is a diuretic and causes frequent urination which could potentially reverse the desired effect of keeping us hydrated, tea's relatively low caffeine content means the uptake of fluid is not reversed.
All 'proper' tea derived from the tea plant - as opposed to herbal or fruit teas - contains 30 or 40 mg of caffeine per cup compared with coffee which has about 100 mg of caffeine. In a recent trial, sponsored by the tea advisory panel, it was demonstrated that drinking 4 cups of tea during the day compared to the equivalent amount of plain water had exactly the same effect on hydration levels.
Fortunately this proves that the fluids you take on board whilst consuming tea are not out-weighed by the diuretic effect and drinking it gives you much more fluid than lost through urination.
So keep calm and carry on enjoying your brew as part of your healthy lifestyle, we certainly will!