A mystery about tea still remains unsolved. Can you guess what? Yes, you have got it right! It is the question regarding why green tea has greater health benefits as compared to the black tea?

Scientists still don’t agree to the fact that there are more antioxidants in green blends than the black ones. Is milk the answer to that? Some tea drinkers prefer to add milk to black tea but some even add it to green blends as well. The concept that milk dilutes some of potential health benefits, especially heart problems, is a topic of debate for a long time.

The argument goes like this…

Many tea lovers cannot even imagine having black tea without adding that touch of the diary. They say milk cuts the bitterness of raw tea. In this context let’s go back to 2007 when research says that people should try having green tea without cream or sugar. Why?

To get to the root of this problem, we have to take a look at what the intelligent brains of the researchers in International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health have to say on this. Some are the view that milk proteins are capable of combining with flavonols, the beneficial compounds on tea while others are of the opinion that this binding might create difficulty in the absorption of flavonols and hence, reduces the health benefits.

Rick Hursel of Maastricht University Medical Centre in Holland has published an interesting thing in one of his studies. He said that when we add milk to tea, metabolic effects slow down. He further explains, “Something happens which we don't want to happen”.

Scientists researching on the influence of tea on blood vessels have also observed this effect. Preliminary studies suggested that flavonols present in tea helps in regulating blood pressure. But, this effect diminishes when milk is added.

Now, all scientists are not convinced that milk can negate the potential benefits of tea to our health. Alan Crozier of the University of Glasgow in Scotland says, “There's no convincing evidence that milk is a problem. The amount of milk is not going to greatly interfere with the way they're [catechins] absorbed Milk proteins may slow down the process, "but there's no evidence that they cause irreversible binding.”

People can avoid adding milk to their blend because they might simply want to enjoy the distinct flavor of it. Everyone has his own preference to drink this beverage. Green tea without sugar and milk can be taxation for some drinker.

So, do one thing – if you wish to drink black tea with sugar and milk, drink it only during breakfast.