deliciousmagazine.co.uk 35
Health claims on herbal tea
packaging are always scientifically
proven
❑ TRUE ❑ FALSESome health claims on herbal tea
packaging are allowed because the
ingredients are traditional remedies
❑ TRUE ❑ FALSESome herbal teas may confer some
benefits for some people
❑ TRUE ❑ FALSEGreen tea is caffeine-free
❑ TRUE ❑ FALSEGreen tea has more healthful
properties than black tea
❑ TRUE ❑ FALSETRUE OR FALSE?
expect miracles, herbal teas can
be a useful and healthy drink to
enjoy,” Dr Wyness says.
What about herbal teas that claim
to support specific bodily functions
and organs? Some say they can
‘detox’ the liver (spoiler: they can’t- your liver helps detox your body)
or “help improve digestion and the
immune system”. One tea claims it
“supports respiratory health”.
Numerous teas claim to aid weight
loss because they contains herbs and
botanicals “believed to suppress the
appetite”. Often, packet information
fails to state how much of the tea
needs to be consumed to gain the
claimed benefits – or the quantity
of active ingredients in a tea.
Most health and nutrition claims
on food, drink and supplement
packaging are covered by European
regulations. Claims relating to
vitamins and minerals, for example,
must be scientifically checked and
approved before they can be printed
on the packet. But herbal teas can fall
outside these regulations because
they contain ingredients traditionally
used as remedies, explains Bridget
Benelam, a nutrition scientist and
spokesperson for the British
Nutrition Foundation. “Such claims
are based on traditional use and as
such we don’t have a strong body
of evidence to say whether they’re
likely to be effective or not,” she says.
Some teas with added nutrients,
such as vitamin C, can make
authorised health claims. “Although
it’s worth noting that having more
of a nutrient such as vitamin C may
only make a difference to health if
you weren’t getting enough
previously,” Benelam adds.
MISLEADING CLAIMS
Some nutritionists believe
regulations need tightening to
protect consumers from being
misled. “Many of the health claims
on herbal teas are inaccurate and
misleading,” says nutrition
therapist Ian Marber. “Herbal tea
is 99.9 per cent water, so suggesting
it’s some kind of medicine – that
it can de-stress, detox, helpyou lose weight or whatever the
claim is – makes no sense.”
Protective plant compounds
called flavonoids found in herbs
may well have health benefits.
“But in a cup or two of herbal tea
you’re unlikely to get much of
them,” Marber says. “Multiple cups
every day might have some effect,
butthere’snevera quantifieddoseon the packet. Herbal tea seems to
get away with vague claims.”IS GREEN TEA DIFFERENT?
Green tea – which, contrary to what
many think, contains caffeine – may
be a slightly different story. Unlike
black tea, which is fermentated,
green tea is unprocessed and higher
in flavonoids. The most active of
these is epigallocatechin gallate
(EGCG), a strong antioxidant.
A growing body of evidence suggests
green tea might reduce the risk of
serious health conditions, notably
heart disease. But the results of
large controlled studies have been
inconsistent, and the health claims
are often exaggerated, according to
Dr Wyness. “Most studies on tea are
small observational human studies,
or conducted on animals or with
cells in the laboratory, so results are
inconclusive,” she says.
There is some evidence that green
tea, including the powdered matcha
variety, can aid weight loss. “But
the results were modest, so it’s
unlikely to result in any notable
difference in weight,” she says.THE BOTTOM LINE
There is little robust scientific
evidence to support many of
the health claims on herbal tea
packaging, but drinking a couple
of cups each day may benefit
some people. A growing body of
evidence suggests green tea may
have health benefits, but studies
so far are inconclusive.The global market for caffeine-
free hot drinks is predicted to
be worth £3.3 billion by 2025ILLUSTRATIONS: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
health matters.