from National meeting of the American Chemical Society
Questions have been raised over
recent years whether some bottled
water is better or even as good as
tap water in some communities. The
same questions are being raised
about bottled tea beverages.
Scientists reported to the National
Meeting of the American Chemical
Society that healthful antioxidant
levels, such as polyphenols, in
commercial bottled tea are lower
than a single cup of home-brewed
green or black tea. Some
commercially bottled tea contain
such small amounts of antioxidants
that consumers would have to drink
twenty bottles to get the polyphenols
present in one cup of tea. After
water, tea is the world’s most widely
consumed beverage. A major reason
for the growth in popularity is
scientific evidence that polyphenols
and other antioxidants in tea may
reduce the risk of cancer, heart
disease and other afflictions.