Watch Out for These Popular Tea Drinks

Bottled teas and tea drinks may not be as good for you as regular tea

By Althea Chang-Cook

Tea is often considered a healthier beverage, but some of the most popular ones can be just as sugary as soda or come with health claims that are too good to be true. Here are some of the options to watch out for, and smart choices to consider instead.

Bottled Iced Tea. An 18.5-ounce bottle of sweet tea from Pure Leaf has 42 grams of added sugars, or 10.5 teaspoons, and 160 calories (about the amount in a 12-ounce can of Coke). Bottled green teas may not be any better. For example, Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey has 34 grams of added sugars, or 8.5 teaspoons, and 130 calories in 16.9 ounces. It’s not easy to find a bottled iced tea low in added sugars, so you’re probably better off with unsweetened. And don’t count on bottled tea to deliver a lot of antioxidants. Some research suggests it has fewer polyphenols than freshly brewed tea.

Bubble Tea. Also called boba tea, this drink contains small balls of tapioca, which are sweet and chewy. It usually has a lot of added sugars, too. For example, a 17-ounce bottle can have as much as 39 grams. Pro tip: If you order bubble tea at a local shop, ask for it with half the sugar or none at all.

Chai Latte. This is black tea infused with spices and served with hot or cold milk. Commercial varieties can have hefty amounts of sweeteners: Six ounces of Tazo Classic Chai Latte concentrate contains 24 grams of added sugars. A medium chai latte with skim milk at Dunkin’ (220 calories) has 27 grams. Making your own at home by boiling black tea with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, star anise, and just a sprinkle of black pepper—or using a bag of masala chai blend—will give you the option of adding sugar, and you can start sparingly.  

Detox Tea. With names like Lean Green, Liver Cleanse, or just Detox, some loose and bagged teas send the message that they’ll help you lose weight or flush so-called toxins out of your body. But there’s no evidence any tea has such benefits, says Megan Hilbert, RDN, a registered dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching in Madison, Wis., who specializes in gut health. "Detox teas are often filled with many untested substances or substances that can cause unwanted symptoms," so it’s probably wise to avoid them, she says. For instance, those that contain senna can have a laxative effect. Yerba mate and guarana are high in caffeine, which may cause jitteriness and insomnia. And garcinia cambogia, another common ingredient, can cause headaches, chest tightness, wheezing, and nausea. Worse, there have been reports of some detox teas causing liver damage.

Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

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