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Evidence-minded articles on the nutrition and health benefits of everyday ingredients — vegetables, fruits, seafood, spices and more.

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All ingredients | Ingredient Health Benefits

All ingredients

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Evidence

All Moderate evidence6 Early research2

8 ingredients

Tea & drinks — See the category page

Tea & drinks

Early research

Peppermint

Across 10 randomised trials in 1,030 people, peppermint oil beat placebo. But adverse events were more frequent (RR 1.57), the authors stated the quality of evidence was very low, and what was tested was an enteric-coated capsule, not tea.

Tea & drinks

Moderate evidence

Chamomile tea

A meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials. Sleep quality improved significantly. Only one trial looked at insomnia, and in that one nothing changed.

Tea & drinks

Moderate evidence

Cocoa

A Cochrane review pooled 35 randomised trials and 1,804 people. Systolic fell 1.76 mmHg. In people with normal blood pressure, there was no significant difference.

Tea & drinks

Early research

Oolong tea

After 14 days, a full 24-hour measurement showed fat oxidation up about 20%. Total energy expenditure was unchanged. The gap between those two sentences is the whole story.

Tea & drinks

Moderate evidence

Hibiscus tea

Across 26 randomised trials and 1,797 participants, blood pressure fell dose-dependently. The claim that it matches antihypertensive drugs is not what the data support.

Tea & drinks

Moderate evidence

Black tea

Across 13 randomised trials, systolic blood pressure fell 1.04 mmHg. Statistically significant, and too small for one person to feel.

Tea & drinks

Moderate evidence

Coffee

The association with lower type 2 diabetes and liver disease risk is consistent. The interesting part is that decaf shows almost the same thing.

Tea & drinks

Moderate evidence

Green tea

Catechins and L-theanine keep showing up in cardiovascular and attention research. What decides the result is your water temperature and when you drink it.