Tea is one of the healthiest drinks you can consume. Not only it helps keep you hydrated, but it is also packed with antioxidants and various other nutrients including polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

Antioxidants in tea help protect your body from damage caused by free radicals, molecules that are produced when your body breaks down food or when you are exposed to toxins like pollution or tobacco smoke.

Free radicals can cause damage to cells and tissues, leading to illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

While all types of tea have antioxidants, different teas have varying amounts of it. Here are some tips to get the most antioxidants out of your tea:.

Choose the right type of tea

Green tea, white tea, black tea, and oolong tea all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, and contain antioxidants. However, green tea has the highest concentration of antioxidants compared to other types of teas.

Black tea, on the other hand, has the lowest concentration of antioxidants. So, if you want to get the most antioxidants out of your tea, choose a green tea.

Steep your tea properly

Steeping your tea for a longer time can increase the concentration of antioxidants in your cup. Studies show that steeping green tea for at least three minutes can extract the maximum amount of antioxidants from the leaves.

However, be careful not to steep it for too long, as it can make the tea bitter and unpleasant to drink.

Use the right temperature

The temperature of the water you use to brew your tea can also affect the concentration of antioxidants. Steeping tea in boiling water can destroy some of the antioxidants, so it’s best to use water that’s slightly below boiling point.

For green tea, water that’s between 160°F to 180°F is ideal.

Use loose-leaf tea

Using loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags can also increase the concentration of antioxidants in your tea. This is because loose-leaf tea tends to have larger leaves that contain more antioxidants.

Tea bags, on the other hand, contain broken tea leaves, which have a lower concentration of antioxidants.

Store your tea properly

The way you store your tea can also affect the concentration of antioxidants. Store your tea in an airtight container away from moisture, heat, and light. Exposure to these elements can cause the tea to degrade and reduce its antioxidant content.

Add some lemon juice

Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to your tea can also increase the concentration of antioxidants. Lemon juice is acidic and can help extract more antioxidants from the tea leaves, making them more available for your body to absorb.

It also adds a refreshing and tangy flavor to your tea.

Drink your tea freshly brewed

The antioxidants in tea can start to degrade as soon as it’s brewed. So, it’s best to drink your tea right after brewing it, to get the most antioxidants.

If you can’t drink it immediately, store it in an airtight container in the fridge and consume it within a day or two.

Drink your tea without milk

Adding milk to your tea can reduce the concentration of antioxidants. The proteins in milk can bind with the antioxidants in tea, making them less available for your body to absorb.

So, if you want to get the most antioxidants out of your tea, drink it without milk.

Don’t sweeten your tea

Adding sugar or other sweeteners to your tea can also reduce the concentration of antioxidants. Sugar can interfere with the absorption of antioxidants, making them less available for your body to use.

If you want to sweeten your tea, consider using a natural sweetener like honey or stevia.

Drink tea regularly

Finally, to get the most antioxidants out of your tea, drink it regularly.

Studies show that drinking tea regularly can help increase the concentration of antioxidants in your body, and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.