There's solid evidence that tea consumption is associated with a lowered risk of heart disease and stroke. The connection was noticed when the arteries of Chinese-American tea drinkers were compared with the arteries of Caucasian coffee drinkers. The tea drinkers only had two-thirds as much coronary artery damage and only one-third as much cerebral artery damage upon autopsy compared with the coffee drinkers.

Another study found that in males, deaths from coronary artery disease were reduced by 40 percent among those who drank one or more cups of tea daily, and another study from Harvard showed that there was a 44 percent lower risk of heart attack in people who drank at least one cup of tea daily.

While some studies on tea and coronary artery disease have been inconclusive, in animal studies we know for certain that the catechins lower cholesterol levels, especially the damaging LUL cholesterol. There's also a definite inverse relationship between tea consumption and homocysteine levels, which are, of course, associated with an elevated risk for heart disease. Tea also seems to play a role in keeping the lining of the blood vessels plaque free, which in turn lessens the risk of coronary artery disease. It seems that these positive benefits can be enjoyed if you drink between one and three cups daily, with greater protection conferred as the total consumption increases.

Interestingly, one study showed that tea consumption in the year before a heart attack is associated with lower mortality following the heart attack. In this study, moderate tea drinkers drank less than fourteen cups weekly, compared to those who drank none and those heavy tea drinkers who drank fourteen or more cups weekly. Both the moderate and the heavy tea drinkers had a lower death rate than those who abstained entirely.

The implication of multiple studies is that one doesn't need to consume tremendous amounts of tea to enjoy health benefits. As little as a cup a day can play a positive role in your health.

Preliminary data also suggests that tea may actually help you lose weight by increasing energy expenditure.

As well as all the benefits listed so far, tea also seems to have a positive effect on your oral health. Drinking tea lowers your risk of developing cavities and gum disease. One study found that tea may reduce cavity formation by up to 75 percent. The fluoride content of the tea inhibits cavities from developing. Tea also seems to inhibit bacteria from adhering to tooth surfaces, while it also inhibits the rate of acid production of oral bacteria.

Both men and women can improve bone health by drinking tea. Studies that focused on the risk of hip fracture, found that habitual tea consumption, especially when maintained for more than ten years, has been shown to aid in the maintenance of bone-mineral density. This seems to be due to the fact that some of the flavonoids in tea have phytoestrogen activity, which benefits bone health. Moreover, some tea extracts seem to inhibit bone resorption.

One recent study found that oolong tea is successful in treating atopic dermatitis; this is no doubt due in part to the anti-allergic properties of tea. This benefit was noticed after one or two weeks of drinking tea. In this study, a 1/2 ounce tea bag that steeped for five minutes in just over four cups of boiling water was consumed in three parts, one with each meal.