Could it be possible that tea adds inches to your waistline? According to a study that appeared in the European Journal of Nutrition this July, the answer is yes. However, there was a disparity in the results depending on whether you drink iced tea or hot tea.
In the study, the subjects who drank hot tea were compared to subjects that drank no tea. The researchers discovered that the hot tea drinkers were thinner than those that drank no tea. However, they also discovered that those that drank iced tea were heavier than subjects that drank no tea.
The subjects were also tested for specific characteristics that can lead to heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. It was found that people who drank hot tea had a lower incidence of these characteristics than non-tea drinkers. Conversely, iced tea drinkers had a higher incidence of these characteristics.
So what does all this mean? Other than the rather obvious conclusion that it’s healthier to drink hot tea than iced tea, the study raises more questions than it answers. For instance, we don’t know if somehow the chemistry of the tea changes from hot to cold. We don’t know if it’s a factor in the way we metabolize the tea when it’s hot vs. cold. Finally, this study flies in the face of the accepted theory that drinking iced beverages boosts metabolism.
Until more studies are conducted, drink your tea hot and enjoy life.
Now go have fun and relax.