Does Time After Brewing Cause Tea To Lose Its Efficacy?

by Chris
(Greenfield, WI, USA)

I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. I drink green tea daily. I recently read a short article that stated green tea loses its effectiveness as far as ECGC and polyphenols are concerned shortly after brewing (he stated 2 hours).

Is this true? I usually brew several cups and store in "fridge" to drink throughout the day. Am I losing the benefits?

Answer:

Chris, I am sorry to hear about your breast cancer diagnosis. I hope you get well soon.

Brewed green tea does lose its antioxidant potential over time, but how quickly this takes place is a subject of contention, and is likely to vary from tea to tea.

This is a question that I have answered many times before, so I will direct you to some links below.

The bottom line is to judge the quality of the tea by the color (degree of browning) and taste (freshness versus staleness). From personal experience, half a day or so at room temperature is okay. The best thing to do, of course, is to drink your tea hot - a Chinese grandmother advice. But there is a degree of tolerance.

How To Store Iced Green Tea

Brew Green Tea - Better To Leave Overnight?

Tea Antioxidants in Thermos - How Long Do They Keep?

On a related note, there is an inspiring story about Essiac tea and breast cancer that you may find useful:

Essiac and Breast Cancer - A Testimony

I hope this helps.

Julian