Last Reviewed:December 1, 2023 by Gabrielle Marks
Does Black Tea Have Antioxidants?
Black tea is filled with polyphenols, which act as antioxidants protecting cells against tissue damage caused by free radicals. [1] The polyphenols present in black tea include theaflavins, flavonols, catechins, and thearubigins, all of which have been the focus of many studies on the prevention of disease. [2]
Jump Ahead
- Black Tea and Theaflavins
- Green Tea Vs. Black Tea – The Battle of the Antioxidants
- More Studies Needed
- Resources
Black Tea and Theaflavins
The naturally occurring catechins, which are the antioxidants credited with the possible health benefits of green tea, are transformed into thearubigins and theaflavins during black tea’s fermentation process due to oxidations. [3]
Theaflavins have been reported to be protective agents against cardiovascular disease and cancer and have many pharmaceutical benefits, such as antihypertensive, antioxidative, and hypolipidemic activities. [4]
Green Tea Vs. Black Tea – The Battle of the Antioxidants
All teas come from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis. The manner in which they are processed will determine what type of tea comes out of the process: green, black, or Oolong. Green tea is manufactured by firing or steaming the leaves, preventing oxidation. (Non-fermented) Black tea is manufactured by naturally semi-drying the tea leaves and then rolling and crushing the withered leaves, which causes oxidation. (Fermented) Oolong tea is only partially oxidized. (Semi-fermented) [5]
The total polyphenol content of green and black teas is similar, but each has different types of flavonoids due to the manner in which each tea is processed. [6]
Because green tea is not fermented, it is not oxidized, so the present catechins are preserved. On the other hand, the catechins in black tea are transformed into thearubigins and theaflavins during the oxidation process. It has been reported that the theaflavins present in black tea contain the same antioxidant properties as the catechins present in green tea. [7]
The argument has been made that green tea has more antioxidant activity because the concentrations of catechins present in green tea are higher than the concentrations of theaflavins in black tea, which in turn means that green tea has higher antioxidant activity. [8]
More Studies Needed
Many studies have concluded that there are great health benefits to drinking tea, but many studies did not draw those conclusions. Because of the conflicting evidence, most government agencies will not recognize tea as having any real health benefits.
Resources
- [1] Medicine.net – “Medical Definition Polyphenol.”
- [2][6] Khan, Naghma. “Tea and Health: Studies in Humans.” Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2013. Vol: 19, No: 34, pp: 6141-6147.<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055352/>
- [3] Maskarinec, Gertraud. Guillermo, Cherie. “Polyphenols: Prevention and Treatment of Human Disease.” Academic Press. 2018. Pp: 205-216. <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128130087000175>
- [5] Velayutham, Pon. “Green Tea Catechins and Cardiovascular Health: An Update.” Current Medicinal Chemistry. 2009. Vol: 15, No: 18, pp: 1840-1850. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2748751/>
- [4][7] Leung, L. et al(2001) “Theaflavins in black and catechins in green tea are equally effective antioxidants.” J. Nutr. 131:2248–2251. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11533262>
- [8] Lee, Ki Won, et al. “Antioxidant Activity of Black Tea vs Green Tea.” The Journal of Nutrition. 2002. Vol: 132, No: 4, pp: 785.<https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/132/4/785/4687401>
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