Is it healthier to drink your tea cold or hot?

Is it healthier to drink your tea cold or hot? | Healthbiztips
photo credit: Monika Grabkowska @moniqa @unsplash

Hot tea vs. cold tea: which is the healthier choice | Healthbiztips

@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan | health blog

If your want to squeeze out the most health benefits from your cup of tea, should you drink it hot or cold?


Brewing tea leaves or tea bag using hot water for an optimal period of time, which is about 3-5 minutes is crucial to harness it's antioxidant contents like flavanoids. Tea's antioxidant content is vulnerable to oxygen, so if you let it sit in open air to cool down, then a portion of it's antioxidant content gets destroyed.

Commercially available cold bottled tea generally contains less antioxidants because of the processing these teas have undergone. If you're preparing a home made ice tea, then your're making a healthier beverage because it generally undergo less processing which enables the beverage to retain more antioxidants compared to those commercially sold ones.

In general, tea delivers your more antioxidant and health benefits when you consume it freshly made hot. Just make it a point that you still let it cool down a bit to such a point that it doesn't burn your tongue.

If you decide to make your own version of home made ice tea, then it's definitely a healthier choice compared to those bottled teas in the market since you'll get more antioxidants with zero preservatives.

If you're gonna be making a cold tea drink, then you still have to steep it. Steeping your tea for several hours in room temperature is necessary in order to harness it's antioxidant content. If you compare those hours with the average of 5 minute time it takes to steep a hot tea drink, then, you'll realize it'll take more patience.


Tea is one of the healthiest beverage known to humanity. It's packed full of antioxidants that has several health benefits to the body

Do you prefer to drink your tea hot or cold? We have our individual preference but at times, the choice between a hot or a cold tea drink depends on the weather. If it's a chilly morning, then downing a steaming cup of tea serves the body well. On the other hand, enjoying cold tea drink during the summer can help you avoid heat stroke. Just make it a point to never drink a cold drink straight up in cases when you're body temperature is high like when you've jogged or been under the sun for too long, because it can be fatal due to cold shock response.