A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, has found that drinking tea regularly, over a long period of time increases bone density in women by an average of 5%.

This study is the evidence we have all be waiting for, now we can indulge, guilt free, in infinite cups of tea each day… or can we? Drinking too much tea without paying attention to the below precautions would be inadvisable – especially when keeping bone density in mind.

Tea Drinkers & Non-Tea Drinkers

The study was conducted in Britain with a focus on older women. 1 256 women between the ages of 65-76 participated in this study.

The women were categorized as Tea Drinkers or Non Tea Drinkers based on the results of a self filled out questionnaire. The researchers then measured bone mass density (BMD) at; the lumbar spine, femoral neck, greater trochanter and Ward’s triangle.

Compared to Non-Tea Drinkers, Tea Drinkers had on average 5% higher bone density adjusted for age and BMI. The researchers attributed this to the nutrients found in tea, in particular flavanoids. They also suggested that these flavanoids may protect against osteoporosis.

4 Tips to Optimise Tea Resultant BMD Support:

1.Use Distilled Water

Save Our Bones reports that when it comes to drinking tea you need to be careful of its fluoride content. Fluoride is toxic and accumulates in your bones and joints – affecting bone density.

Many studies – particularly in the 80’s and 90’s – were conducted to observe if fluoride added to municipal tap water increases the risk of fractures. Indeed, the vast majority showed a relationship between fluoridation and an increase in bone fractures, especially the dreaded hip fractures.

If you use tap water or bottled water that has been filtered using another method, you’re getting a double dose of fluoride – first from the water, and then from the tea. And boiling actually increases fluoride concentration.

2. Go Organic

Choosing organic tea will reduce the harmful effects of the beverage. Tea leaves are not rinsed, as the rinsing process causes the tea leaves to turn moldy when they’re packaged.

So your serving of non-organic tea could include a helping of acidifying and toxic pesticides.
Avoid this by choosing organic when possible.

3. Avoid Sugar

Instead of adding sugar to your tea, try adding some alkalizing bone-healthy stevia or honey instead.

4. Ensure Alkalinity

Balance your tea with the addition of alkalizing foods. A simple way to do this is by adding almond or soy milk to your coffee, or lemon to your tea. And have your favorite alkalizing snack with either beverage.

I know that some of you may wonder why you can’t just take a calcium supplement with your tea to offset the acidifying effects. That won’t work because the beverage gets to your blood stream before the calcium.

The 7 Healthy Teas You Should Be Drinking:

Green

Green tea is a reliant source of the antioxidant catechins. EGCG, a subgroup of catechins, has been studied for its potential to prevent cancer and heart disease.

Drinking 1 cup of green tea a day can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10%.

Black

Black tea is a highly caffeinated variety of tea, with about 40 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Black tea has also been known to lower cholesterol levels due to the fact that it contains antioxidants; thearubigins and theaflavins.

Drinking three or more cups of black tea a day can cut your risk of stroke by 21%.

Oolong

Oolong tea activates enzymes that cut down triglycerides; a type of fat found in the blood. Women who consumed oolong tea burn a slightly larger amount of fat than those who drink only water.

Oolong tea also contains niacin, which helps detoxify the body, and antioxidants that can prevent tooth decay.

White

As with green tea, white tea contains catechins, which may help fight cancer and cardiovascular disease. Drinking white tea might also reduce the risk of cancer recurrence for breast cancer survivors, according to the American Cancer Society.

Lemon ginger tea

Ginger has an active ingredient called zingiber, and lemon contains the immune-boosting compounds pectin and limonene. This duo makes lemon ginger tea an effective tool against bacterial infections. Drinking lemon ginger tea is known to kill the bacteria linked to salmonella.

Echinacea

chinacea purpurea is a natural compound commonly used to fight illnesses such as the common cold and other respiratory infections.

One study showed that consuming Echinacea in tea or lozenge form over a four-month period helped to prevent infections.

Chamomile

Research shows that the antioxidants in chamomile tea may help stunt the growth of cancer cells and prevent diabetes side effects such as loss of vision, nerve damage and kidney damage. Unlike the teas mentioned above, chamomile tea is made from the flowers of the chamomile plant.

Fast Fact: There is no proof that drinking 5 cups of tea a day increases BMD more than drinking just one cup a day.

*Original article online at http://www.longevitylive.com/nutrition-body/healthy-eating/tea-increases-bone-density/