Overview
- Published in Food and Nutrition Sciences, the synthesis led by Tea Advisory Panel members reviewed 22 studies, including 11 clinical trials, on black tea and inflammation.
- Reductions in systemic inflammatory markers were most pronounced among people with high baseline inflammation or existing inflammatory conditions.
- Three to four cups per day typically delivered about 400–600 mg of flavan-3-ols, the polyphenols highlighted as the likely drivers of the effect.
- The review noted that adding milk did not blunt the observed benefits and described antioxidant and immune‑modulating pathways as possible mechanisms.
- The authors cautioned that tea is not a substitute for medical treatment and called for larger, longer-term randomized trials to establish causality and broader health outcomes.