Tea is the world’s second most popular beverage after water, with about 80% of American households having it on hand, according to US Census Bureau. While black tea is the most consumed tea, accounting for about 84% of all tea consumed in the United States, green tea is next in line, making up about 15%. With such a wide gap in consumption, you might wonder: is one of these teas really healthier than the other?
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We’re here to break it down and explore the science behind the benefits of black tea versus green tea.
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Background and Origin: What’s the Difference?
Fun fact, both black and green tea come from Camellia sinensis plant, but vary in their processing methods. For example, once a tea leaf has been harvested, they undergo wilting and oxidation, which creates a distinct aroma and color to the tea. However, the oxidation process can be stopped with heat, which essentially inactivates the enzymes. That is how different teas, such as black and green, are produced.
Let’s explore these differences more closely.
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What is black tea?
Black tea is made of leaves of Camellia sinensis plant, which is fully oxidized and fermented to develop the tea’s distinctive, robust flavor. Oxidation exposes the leaves to air, which deepens their color and intensifies their flavor. From there, the leaves can be left as is, or heated, dried and crushed to make black tea. This treat resulting in a dark tea with a strong, sometimes bitter flavor profile.
The most popular types of pure black tea include Assam tea and Darjeeling tea, while other popular blended black teas include Earl Grey, Bigelow and Chai.
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What is green tea?
Green tea is too made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis plant, but it uses young, unfermented leaf. Unlike black tea, the leaves are quickly treated with heat, processed and shredded without undergoing oxidation. Interestingly, pan frying is necessary for green tea leaves to prevent oxidation caused by the natural enzymes found in the leaves.
Sencha is the most popular type of green teawhat other green teas are actually made from, such as Matcha, Bancha, Gyokuro. Depending on the type of green consumed, the flavor profile may be slightly different. But compared to the black tea, it is much milder in taste.
Keep in mind that the water temperature, steeping time and tea concentration can too change the flavor profile of both green and black tea.
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Nutritional Differences: How Do They Compare?
Black and green tea have fairly similar nutritional profiles, as both contain caffeine, antioxidants and other important phytonutrients. A typical tea drink, prepared in a proportion of 1 gram of tea leaves to 100 milliliters of water brewed for three minutes, contains about 250 to 350 milligrams of tea solids. These tea solids consist of approximately 30-42% catechins, or polyphenols, which are good-for-you phytonutrients that work to keep your body in top shape, and 3-6% caffeine.
The effect of processing and oxidation
The primary nutrient differences between black and green tea comes from how they are processed and oxidized.
While both black and green tea contain similar amounts of polyphenolsthe types of flavonoids, or phytonutrients, in each tea are slightly different as a result. Because of the unique processing methods, each offers some unique health benefits, which we will explore further in the next section.
Calorie content and caffeine levels
Both black and green tea are virtually calorie-free and contain comparable amounts of caffeine.
A 1-cup serving black tea has zero calories with only a small amount of naturally occurring sodium (less than 5 milligrams) and contains 26 milligrams of caffeine.
In comparison, the same thing cup of green tea contains less than 2 calories, a small amount of protein (0.25 grams) and slightly more caffeine at 29 milligrams. It also contains trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B-6.
Nutritional differences: do they matter?
While green tea has a few more vitamins and minerals than black tea, it is in relatively small portions. While I agree that every bite counts when it comes to nutrition, it comes down to what you prefer and what you will actually consume. Remember, when actions become habits, we can really see the effect medicinal foods, such as tea, offer.
Health benefits of black tea vs green tea
Decades of research have shown that the phytonutrients in both black and green tea can support cardiovascular and metabolic health. Recent studies suggest that these teas may also offer potential benefits for anti-aging, anti-diabetes and cancer treatments. The primary benefits can be attributed to catechins and theaflavins, which are potent phytonutrients found in both types of tea.
That said, the processing methods used for black and green tea result in slightly different antioxidant profiles. Black tea is oxidized and fermented, during which the catechins are oxidized (or condensed) into compounds called theaflavins and thearubigins. These compounds give black tea its dark color and bitter taste.
In contrast, green tea is not oxidized or fermented, which helps maintain a higher proportion of catechins, namely ECGC, or epigallocatechin-3-gallate. This is the key player you will find throughout the research when green tea is highlighted for its benefits. Remember, this does not mean that the polyphenol content of green tea is higher or better than black tea, just different.
Unique benefits of black tea
Considering the fact that black tea is generally consumed more than its green tea counterpart, it is important to highlight the unique health benefits that this brew offers.
Black tea and weight control
A 2016 study published in Molecules suggested that black tea polyphenols may be more effective than green tea polyphenols in promoting weight loss. However, most of this research was conducted using animal models, meaning we cannot fully extrapolate the benefits to humans. However, this doesn’t mean that sipping a cup of black tea (if you prefer) won’t help your weight loss goals, especially considering that it’s naturally calorie-free and unsweetened.
Support against inflammation and diabetes
A 2019 review published in International Journal of Health Sciences provided a more comprehensive look at the beneficial effects of black tea, noting their anti-inflammatory properties and support for diabetes management. Although green tea also has anti-inflammatory effects, black tea contains higher levels of theaflavinswhich can offer even stronger antioxidant protection. These theaflavins help neutralize free radicals in the body, which can reduce inflammation and promote heart health.
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Unique benefits of green tea
While green tea shares anti-inflammatory properties with black tea, its standout benefit in recent years appears to be its role in cancer therapies.
Green tea and cancer prevention
A 2020 study published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences investigated why green tea catechins – mainly epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) – contribute so prominently to cancer prevention.
Researchers found that these compounds work together to neutralize nitrogen and oxygen free radicals, reduce inflammation and induce cancer cell death while not affecting healthy cells. The effects of green tea polyphenols stop the growth of cancer cells and reduce the risk of cancer can be found in the area of prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast and stomach cancer. Although green tea cannot replace pharmacological treatments such as chemotherapy, incorporating it as an adjunctive therapy can support the concept of “food as medicine” in disease prevention and treatment.
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Black tea vs green tea: Is it healthier?
There is no clear winner – and no, we’re not trying to be difficult! While it may seem like green tea makes the headlines more for its health benefits, decades of research have shown that black tea provides significant benefits.
The most important thing to note is that both teas offer benefits and can easily fit into a balanced, healthy diet. At the end of the day, the tea you enjoy and are more likely to drink regularly is what you should be consuming for optimal health. Consider the health-promoting properties offered by both varieties of tea as your motivation as you make your brew of choice, whether black or green, a regular part of your routine.
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