In recent years, people have taken up an interest in watching what they eat. Could tea be making you add weight?

But before you put that cup of tea down, here is some good news. Tea does have health benefits.

So, does tea have calories? Yes, most teas contain about two calories for every eight-ounce cup. However, it depends on whether you use any sugars or creamers in your drink. If you add anything, you contribute to the ingestion of empty calories.

Does tea have any nutritional value?

Given the large number of people who enjoy tea, you may wonder if it has any benefits to the human body. Is it helping you at all, or are you taking in empty calories? Well, to understand its nutritional value, you have to get into the harvesting process.

During this, oxidation happens, which refers to the exposure time of the leaves to oxygen. The longer the process takes, the darker the result.

From this, you can decipher that black tea undergoes the most oxidation while white tea has the shortest exposure time. Now, this matters as it affects the nutritional value of what you end up ingesting.

The less processing that takes place, the more antioxidants the tea will possess. And these work in slowing the oxidation processes in the human body, keeping you healthy.

Without keeping these processes in check, the introduction of free radicals can take place. And this paves the way for the development of conditions such as type II diabetes. Thus, the nutritional value can either be high or low, based on what you end up choosing.

Does tea have calories?

Now that you know that tea does have a few benefits to offer other than taste, you may wonder if it can impact your weight loss journey. And in this regard, you would look at the calorie content in this beverage.

Many people count their calories and rely on apps to tell if they are over the limit. It owes to the growing concern as to the otherwise avoidable health problems.

If you are counting calories or minding them without being too keen, you will wonder if tea is a suitable drink. Well, it does not have that many calories. You can thus do without being too strict on how much tea you consume.

Again, this comes down to what you use in the tea. If you are using creamers and sugars, you will need to note this down as these are high in calories.

Most teas contain about two calories for every eight-ounce cup. But this also depends on what the manufacturer has in the leaves. You may find that some go over this, while others are much lower.

The additives also matter. Take the example of black tea. It should have about two calories, that is, with no milk and no sugar.

Add skimmed milk, and this number jumps to ten calories. Use whole milk, and the amount doubles. And if you want it to double again, try using one teaspoon of honey. You would end up taking forty calories in one cup, using the honey alone.

If you add whole milk to it, the total number of calories would be about sixty. Thus, you cannot enjoy many cups of tea without affecting your caloric intake. But with plain tea, you would be on the safe side.

How many calories are in your tea?

Not all teas will have the same caloric amounts. Green, black, chamomile, oolong, and white teas have an average of two calories per cup. Peppermint lies in the ranges of two point four calories, while hibiscus offers as much as thirty-seven calories.

This variation should inform you on the best options to consume, based on what you like. For example, you can stick to green tea so that you can consume many cups per day. Or you can work with hibiscus and watch your intake such that you consume one or two cups daily.

Calories in conventional tea

Green Tea

With green tea, you can expect to consume two calories for every cup as long as you do not add any additives. It is rich in antioxidants that work in lowering the chances of developing cardiovascular problems.

A study conducted showed that green tea consumers had up to 28% fewer risks of coronary artery disease. That is a reason to consider adding this tea to your diet. Other components of this tea include vitamins A, B, C, and D as well as minerals such as theanine, zinc, calcium, and potassium.

Black Tea

This tea is also rich in antioxidants and contains an average of two calories for every cup. Studies show that the consumption of black tea reduces the chances of cognitive decline by up to 55%.

The more of this variety, the lower your chances are. It contains pretty much the same components as those found in green tea.

Pu Erh tea

This variation of black tea also contains two calories per serving, where there are no additions in play. Its processing includes heaping, which is similar to an aging process.

The fermentation used in this process gives the tea depth and smoothness as well as complexity. That is why some people prefer this over regular black tea. As for nutritional composition, this tea features minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins in high quantities.

Oolong Tea

This tea is a favorite among tea drinkers in that it is rich in scent and flavor. Also, it is low in calories, offering two per cup. It undergoes semi-oxidation coupled with fermentation.

You can think of it as a balance between green and black varieties. It also works in fighting free radicals, aiding digestion, and reducing inflammation. Plus, it is rich in minerals and some vitamins.

White Tea

If you are drinking tea for the antioxidants, this is the best option. It has the highest quantity of these radical-fighters owing to the lack of processing in its manufacture. It also contains two calories for every cup when consumed plain and can help you lose weight.

Like the other teas, it is also high in vitamins and minerals. You should note the presence of caffeine in its composition.

Calories in herbal tea

These teas do not contain tea leaves and are thus not teas as such. That means that their caloric content comes down to the plant used in their manufacture. The same goes for other things, such as the quantity of minerals and what vitamins they contain. Here are some examples:

Peppermint tea

This tea offers as many as 2.4 calories for every cup, which is slightly higher than what you would consume in conventional teas.

On the upside, this tea does not have any caffeine and can thus work for caffeine-sensitive people. Pregnant women can also enjoy this variation.

Hibiscus tea

This tea is high in calories, with an average of 37 calories for every cup. That is quite high once you compare it to the conventional teas. However, it is an excellent choice for anyone looking for health benefits.

Studies show that it can lower blood pressure and offer other benefits to the body. Plus, it also lacks caffeine and is rich in minerals and vitamins.

Chamomile tea

This caffeine-free tea is another healthy alternative with up to two calories for every cup. Most people use this tea to treat sleep problems as it influences neurohormones.

As long as you are not using additions, you would not need to keep a tab on how many cups you have consumed.

Conclusion

Tea, whether conventional or herbal, contains calories. However, the quantity of the same comes down to the type of tea in question. Also, it depends on whether you use any sugars or creamers in your drink.

If you add anything, you contribute to the ingestion of empty calories that can hamper your weight loss goals. However, if you enjoy tea in moderation, it can stimulate the loss of weight over time by increasing metabolism.

But to answer your question, yes, this drink also contributes to your caloric intake. Count those cups!