Health benefits of tea...yes, no?

[Ti]

I drink tea because I like it not because of its health benefits whatever they are, but I’d appreciate it if those in the know would list the health benefits here or provide the link where this might have been covered before.

This stems from a conversation I had recently with a co-worker who inquired about my constant brewing of tea at work which is in stark contrast to the more conventional consumption of liquids that is almost exclusively purchased from local vendors in the form of coffee and soda.

Paraphrase of the exchange:

I was in the middle of brewing a cup of tea...

Q: "What's that"?
A:(it's obvious that I'm making tea and I respond with) "this kind of tea"...continued by
Q: a pause..."and that's good for ... "? (there is a supposition in the question that I'm drinking tea because of it's health benefits).
A: "Because I like it". (what kind of response would you give?)

Personally I could care less about the health benefits of polyphenols and catechins in tea.

How important are health benefits when weighed against the more lofty goals of tea appreciation to tea drinkers heres?

[murrius]

I drink tea for the taste and the adventure. I love trying new teas and experiencing new tastes and new ways of brewing.

However, I'm happy when I stumble onto an article that outlines how healthy tea is for you because it's the first substance I've ever enjoyed that is actually good for me.

[Chip]

Tea and disease prevention

Tea and common illnesses

There are others. If you go to the search on the top left of the page, you can refine your search.

[chad]

I drink tea because I like it and am interested in the history, geography, etc.

However, I am also diabetic, aging, etc. so the health benefits are a definate plus. Several years ago I cut out most sodas, cut back coffee, and drank mostly water. Actually, I still do drink a lot of water at work and at home, however I keep tea going at work almost all day.

I checked out "tea" at WebMD. There are some interesting articles on known and suspecte benefits of tea.