Cold or hot tea? One may offer more benefits than you think

Cold-brew tea antioxidant content

Registered dietitian and nutritionist Jamie Lee McIntyre explained that cold brewing involves steeping tea leaves in room-temperature or cold water for an extended period, usually between 8 and 16 hours.

This slow extraction process produces a smoother, sweeter, and less bitter beverage than traditionally brewed hot tea.

Cold brewing generally extracts fewer beneficial polyphenols than hot water brewing. Without heat acting as a catalyst, water simply cannot draw out as many compounds from the leaves, even over a long steeping period.

A study in the Antioxidants journal found that unfermented green rooibos brewed in cold water for eight hours had antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol levels comparable to those of a standard five-minute hot brew.

Benefits of hot tea

Heat helps break down the structure of tea leaves, allowing water to act as a highly effective solvent for beneficial compounds.

Hot teas generally contain more antioxidants than cold-brewed teas because higher temperatures improve extraction efficiency. Green teas, which do not undergo the oxidation process used for black teas, often show the highest antioxidant content when brewed hot.

Teas brewed at higher temperatures (around 90–100°C) consistently yield higher concentrations of total polyphenols and flavonols than cold-water brewing.

Better choice?

Hot tea typically contains more antioxidants. Heat quickly dissolves and extracts beneficial compounds such as flavonoids, catechins, and phenolic acids from tea leaves.

However, because cold brewing requires a much longer steeping time, the extended process allows water to gradually extract a significant amount of polyphenols.

Tea brewing tips

For classic hot tea, use boiling water. Bring water to a full boil (100°C) to ensure proper extraction for robust black tea. Steep one teaspoon of loose tea or one tea bag per cup for three to five minutes.

For green tea, allow the water to cool slightly. Let boiling water sit for about 10 minutes until its temperature drops to 74–84°C. Pour the water over the green tea and steep for only one minute to avoid bitterness.

Use gentler heat for white tea. Boiling water can easily scorch the delicate leaves of white tea.