Tea and bone

Tea leaves contain fluoride and phytoestrogens, which may increase bone density and guard against osteoporosis. Two studies from Britain and China report high bone-density measurements among tea drinkers. The Chinese study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine 2002, found that adults who drank tea at least once a week for 6 to 10 years had denser lumbar bones than nondrinkers. The British study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1i 2000, concluded that older women who drank tea had stronger bones than those who didn't.

Anyone trying to limit caffeine intake has another reason to drink tea, especially green tea, which has far less caffeine than coffee and somewhat less than black tea. Among caffeinated green teas, levels generally ranged from 14 mg to 37 mg per eight-ounce cup, compared with about 50 mg for black tea and about 140 mg for coffee. Decaffeinated tea may be preferable for people with irregular hear rhythms or who experience anxiety attacks, and for women who are pregnant or nursing.