Toasting the London Olympics – with Tea!

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

The Olympics begin this evening, and whether you’re an amateur athlete, or armchair enthusiast, it’s an amazing set of events. With so many events, you can pick and choose your favorites. So if you’re a swimming fan and in awe of Michael Phelps’ flippers – oops, I mean feet – or interested in watching the intense competition of sprinting (is it really possible to win by one hundredth of a second???), there is something for everyone.

Since the games are in London, my thoughts turned to tea, and I wanted to share some fun (and healthful) facts about England’s official national drink – that’s right – TEA.

Two-thirds of British citizens drink tea every day – at least four cups. But that’s not a large caffeine load, because a cup of tea has about 30-50 mg of caffeine, equivalent to one large mug of coffee. And what about coffee? Do the British drink much? Yes! About 70 million cups a year, which is less than half of the annual tea consumption, at 165 million cups.

It might surprise you to know that more than 95% of tea-drinkers use tea bags, not loose tea. And the most popular add-in to tea is milk, used by 98% of people.

Since tea leaves are derived from a plant,  tea is loaded with health-promoting antioxidants. If you’re new to tea, try different types, from black to green to white. Black tea is highest in caffeine (around 50 mg per cup), while green and white teas have at least 50% less.

Let the games –and the sipping-- begin!