A study from Taiwan found that drinking tea regularly has benefits in addition to those associated with antioxidants, such as inhibiting cancer and the aging process. In fact, regular consumption of tea may help prevent osteoporosis, which is a reduction of bone density common in post-menopausal women, according to the Taiwan Journal of Family Medicine.
Researchers at Cheng Kung University conducted a study of 368 women with an average age of 65. Of these, only 60 drank tea daily, while the remaining 300 drank tea rarely or occasionally.
Among the women who drank the most tea, 47 percent developed osteoporosis, however, among the second group who drank tea rarely, 63 percent were diagnosed with osteoporosis.
The study authors theorize that tea has fluoride which can inhibit bone loss and flavonoids that increase bone density. They also believe polyphenols and tannin compounds contribute to the maintenance of bone density.
Another study by researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong found that three components of green tea – epigallocatechin, gallocatechin and gallocatechin gallate – were beneficial to bone density.
These findings contradict earlier expert opinions which believe that caffeine in tea and coffee is harmful to bones, and additional studies are needed.