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While Americans love starting their day with a cup or two of coffee, in other parts of the world, tea reigns supreme. From the milky cups of Earl grey and English breakfast they sip in the United Kingdom to the fragrant herbal teas they enjoy in Asia, tea is one of the most beloved drinks across the world. Even here in the U.S., options like black tea, green tea, and others line grocery store shelves. Now you could choose which tea to drink based on taste alone, but when it comes to black tea vs green tea, is one actually better for you than the other?
Meet the experts: Diane Han, M.P.H., R.D.N., L.D., a registered dietitian nutritionist based in San Francisco and the founder of Woking Balance Wellness; Kathleen Garcia-Benson, R.D.N., C.S.S.D., L.D., a registered dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching who specializes in women’s health.
Indeed, tea delivers a variety of health benefits beyond helping you stay hydrated. That’s why we spoke with dietitians about black tea and green tea to find out which is better for you and if one is better suited to help you achieve your health and wellness goals.
Black tea vs. green tea: Nutrition
Tea is brewed, which means that tea leaves are steeped in boiling water and then removed before drinking. So essentially, tea is flavored water, which means that like water, it contains no calories, sugar, fat, or protein on its own—though this will change if you add anything to the tea, such as milk, sugar, or honey.
One thing that brewed black and green tea do deliver is caffeine. According to the Mayo Clinic, an 8-ounce cup of black tea contains 48 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, while an 8-ounce cup of green tea contains 29 mg. For comparison, an 8-ounce cup of coffee can deliver up to 96 mg of caffeine.
Besides caffeine content, black tea and green tea also differ in how they are made. According to UCLA Health, black tea leaves are oxidized, which means they are exposed to the air so they can dry out, while green tea leaves are not (both are actually made from the same plant). This allows for the existence of different nutrients and beneficial plant compounds in each type of tea.
Benefits and potential negatives of black tea
So why should you consider making black tea a regular part of your healthy eating regimen? “Black tea may help to support heart health,” says Diane Han, M.P.H., R.D.N., L.D., a registered dietitian nutritionist based in San Francisco and the founder of Woking Balance Wellness. A 2022 review published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that drinking one to four cups of black tea daily (but not more than four) could help prevent the development of coronary artery disease.
“Black tea contains polyphenols and antioxidants that support heart and gut health,” explains Kathleen Garcia-Benson, R.D.N., C.S.S.D., L.D., a registered dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching who specializes in women’s health. The most powerful of these are theaflavins, per UCLA Health, which develop during oxidation and therefore are not present in any other types of tea. According to research in Trends in Food Science & Technology, theaflavins work to protect cells from damage and injury, can block inflammation, and even fight viruses (hence the advice to sip tea when you’re sick). Black tea also contains flavonoids, another type of antioxidant that has been shown to support healthy blood pressure and cognitive function.
All that said, there are a few potential downsides to drinking black tea. Han notes that it contains the most caffeine of all types of tea, so if you’re sensitive to caffeine you may need to be mindful of how much you consume.
“Black tea can stain your teeth over time,” says Garcia-Benson. In fact, research from 2024 that looked at green tea, black tea, and two types of coffee found that black tea caused the most tooth discoloration of the four beverages.
Garcia-Benson adds that black tea may also reduce iron absorption in the body, especially iron from plant-based foods—but waiting an hour between drinking the tea and eating can diminish this effect, per Japanese research.
Benefits and potential negatives of green tea
If black tea boasts too strong of a flavor, green tea may be more your speed. And fortunately, this light, grassy tea delivers some health perks of its own. “Green tea may play a role in certain types of cancer prevention, support healthy weight management, and promote heart and brain health,” Han says.
Research backs her up: The Frontiers in Nutrition study mentioned above also found that the more green tea you drink, the lower your risk of developing coronary artery disease, while a review in the British Journal of Nutrition found that drinking green tea regularly can lead to weight loss. “It may promote slight increases in fat oxidation when consumed consistently,” Garcia-Benson explains. That perk comes from the EGCG, which has been found to turn white fat (the not-so-great kind) into brown fat (the metabolically active kind).
Green tea catechins, the most powerful antioxidants in the brew, have been shown to impact the survival, growth, and proliferation of cancer cells. And the amino acid L-theanine can provide a brainpower and mood boost. “L-theanine may support focus and promote calm alertness,” Garcia-Benson says.
Green tea carries the same potential downsides as black tea as far as the presence of caffeine and the ability to interfere with iron absorption. However, it does contain less caffeine and block iron absorption to a lesser degree than its oxidized cousin.
Black tea vs. green tea: Which is better for weight loss?
Both black tea and green tea are smart sips to incorporate into your diet if weight loss is your goal. But if she had to pick a winner for weight loss, Garcia-Benson would choose green tea. “Green tea may have a slight edge in supporting fat breakdown, particularly when consumed several times per day, while black tea can aid weight management by replacing high-calorie coffee drinks if taken plain and by helping reduce hunger levels due to its higher caffeine content,” she says.
Bottom line
“There is no strong evidence identifying a clear winner when it comes to which type of tea is best for healthy aging or weight management,” says Han. “Both black and green tea are rich in different types of polyphenols (theaflavins in black tea and EGCG in green tea) that support an anti-inflammatory environment,” which is key for achieving any sort of wellness goal.
Garcia-Benson agrees, noting that the right pick is the one that works best for you. “Both provide antioxidants and other health benefits,” she says, “so the best choice ultimately comes down to personal preference, caffeine tolerance, and how easily each one fits into your daily routine.”
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