Benefits and disadvantages of drinking different types of tea – awareness of people based on anonymous surveys

Abstract

Introduction: Tea comes from ancient China and it is obtained from the leaves of the plant known as Camellia sinensis. It can be distinguished six categories of the tea: white, green, yellow, black, oolong, pu-erh (dark, fermented) depending on the complex production processes. Tea contains various bioactive ingredients that have beneficial effects on health. In addition, tea drinking is considered safe for humans as severe side effects from ingestion of tea infusion or extract are rarely observed.
 The aim of the study: The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge among people about bioactive ingredients, different types of tea, health benefits, safety issues and disadvantages of drinking tea based on anonymous surveys.
 Materials and methods: The research material was collected using an anonymous survey in June 2023. The obtained results were analyzed and verified on the basis of scientific literature and statistically processed using Microsoft Office Excel.
 Discussion and conclusions: 97% of respondents drink tea, and 59.3% of people reach for it every day. The most commonly consumed type is green tea. 58.6% of respondents believe that tea may have health properties, and 80.9% believe that tea is not harmful to health. Tea contains numerous bioactive ingredients, including: polyphenols, polysaccharides, aminoacids, alkaloids, saponins, enzymes, minerals. They are responsible for a number of functions affecting human health, including: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, anti-cancer, cardiovascular, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and liver-protective properties. In tea, the bioavailability of active ingredients depends on the method of brewing, but also on the type of tea. Despite the many benefits, attention should be paid to the contamination of tea with heavy metals, pesticides and mycotoxins, and to excessive consumption of substances such as caffeine, as they can cause side effects observed in studies.