Is it healthy to drink tea with sugar every day? The definitive answer

According to the World Health Organization, limiting daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake offers significant health benefits. So, is it healthy to drink tea with sugar every day, or does this common habit increase health risks?

Quick Summary

This article examines the daily habit of drinking tea with sugar, outlining the potential health risks such as weight gain and chronic disease. It contrasts sweetened versus unsweetened tea, discusses the impact of sugar on tea's antioxidant properties, and provides several nutritious alternatives for mindful consumption.

Key Points

• Daily Habit, Daily Risk: Consistently adding sugar to your tea, even in small amounts, can contribute significantly to your overall daily sugar intake and its associated health problems.

• Antioxidant Compromise: Sugar can interfere with the absorption of beneficial polyphenols and catechins found in tea, potentially reducing its antioxidant power.

• Unsweetened is Superior: Observational studies link unsweetened tea consumption with lower rates of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, a benefit not seen with sweetened versions.

• Rethink Your Sweetener: Opting for natural, zero-calorie alternatives like stevia or monk fruit, or using spices like cinnamon, can add flavor without the health risks of added sugar.

• Dental Health at Risk: Frequent sipping of sugary tea promotes tooth decay and cavities by feeding acid-producing bacteria in your mouth.

• Mindful Consumption: Gradually reducing your sugar can help retrain your palate to appreciate tea's natural flavors, making the shift to a healthier habit easier over time.

The Health Impacts of Daily Sugary Tea

For many, a daily cup of tea with sugar is a comforting ritual. Yet, the persistent habit of adding sweeteners can accumulate significant health risks over time, subtly undermining the natural benefits of tea. While a single teaspoon might seem harmless, multiple cups a day can push you far beyond the recommended daily sugar limits set by health experts. This consistent intake of added sugar is linked to a cascade of negative health effects that can jeopardize your well-being in the long run.

The Risks of Added Sugar

Daily consumption of added sugar, whether in tea or other beverages, poses several serious health threats:

• Weight Gain and Obesity: Sugar-sweetened beverages are a major contributor to weight gain. Liquid calories from sugar are often not registered by the body in the same way as solid food, leading to overconsumption. The rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar can also cause increased hunger, perpetuating a cycle of overeating.
• Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Excessive sugar intake is a primary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. High sugar consumption can lead to insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. This forces the pancreas to work harder, eventually leading to blood sugar problems.
• Cardiovascular Disease: Studies have found a strong link between high-sugar diets and an increased risk of heart disease. Excessive sugar intake can contribute to inflammation, high triglycerides, and elevated blood pressure—all key risk factors for heart conditions.
• Dental Issues: The sugar added to your tea feeds harmful bacteria in the mouth, which produce acid that erodes tooth enamel. This significantly increases the risk of cavities and tooth decay, especially for those who sip sugary tea throughout the day.
• Other Health Concerns: Chronic, high sugar consumption has also been linked to a fatty liver, depression, and an accelerated skin-aging process due to the formation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs).

The Paradox: Tea's Antioxidants and Sugar's Interference

Tea, especially green and black varieties, is celebrated for its antioxidant properties, primarily from compounds like polyphenols and flavonoids. These antioxidants combat cellular damage from free radicals and are associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases. However, adding sugar can compromise these benefits.

Studies suggest that sugar can interfere with the body's ability to absorb these beneficial compounds. When sugar is processed in the intestine, it can compete with the absorption of polyphenols, potentially diminishing the antioxidant effect that makes tea so healthy in the first place. While some studies show mixed results on the direct impact of sugar on black tea's antioxidant activity, adding large quantities of sugar certainly introduces empty calories and other risks. An August 2025 study in Frontiers in Nutrition found that consuming unsweetened tea was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, whereas no significant association was found for sugar-sweetened tea.

Healthier Ways to Sweeten Your Tea

For those who find unsweetened tea too bitter, several natural alternatives can provide sweetness without the harmful effects of refined sugar:

• Monk Fruit: A natural, zero-calorie sweetener derived from a plant native to China. It is significantly sweeter than sugar and doesn't raise blood sugar levels.
• Stevia: Extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant, this is another zero-calorie, natural sweetener that does not impact blood sugar.
• Honey (in moderation): While still a form of sugar, raw honey offers minimal amounts of vitamins, minerals, and has natural antimicrobial properties. It also has a slightly lower glycemic index than table sugar. Use it sparingly to avoid excessive sugar intake.
• Herbs and Spices: Adding ingredients like cinnamon, star anise, cloves, or ginger can introduce complex, warming flavors that reduce the perceived need for sugar.
• Fruity Notes: A squeeze of lemon or a slice of orange can brighten the flavor of your tea, providing a natural tanginess that can substitute for sweetness.

Sweetened vs. Unsweetened Tea: A Comparison

Feature	Tea with Added Sugar	Unsweetened Tea
Calorie Count	Increases significantly with each teaspoon of sugar.	Contains virtually no calories, aiding weight management.
Nutritional Value	Provides empty calories; sugar can inhibit absorption of antioxidants.	Retains the full antioxidant and polyphenol content.
Blood Sugar Impact	Causes rapid spikes and subsequent crashes in blood glucose and insulin.	Does not cause blood sugar spikes, making it ideal for blood sugar control.
Flavor Profile	Alters and can overpower the natural, subtle flavors of the tea.	Allows the drinker to experience the pure, nuanced taste of the tea leaves.
Long-Term Health	Linked to higher risks of diabetes, heart disease, and weight gain.	Associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases and overall better health outcomes.

How to Reduce Your Sweetener Habit

Transitioning from sugary tea to an unsweetened cup can take time. Your taste buds, accustomed to high levels of sweetness, need to readjust. Start by gradually reducing the amount of sugar you add to each cup. You could try adding half the amount you usually do, slowly decreasing it over a few weeks. Explore different types of tea—some, like certain green or herbal teas, have a naturally sweeter flavor profile that requires less or no sweetener. By retraining your palate, you will begin to appreciate the complex and subtle flavors of the tea itself. For those seeking help with a balanced diet, resources from health organizations can be valuable, such as those provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Conclusion

While a single, occasional cup of tea with a bit of sugar is unlikely to cause serious harm, drinking it every day as a habit is an unhealthy practice. The accumulated effects of daily sugar intake—including weight gain, increased diabetes risk, and cardiovascular problems—outweigh the fleeting pleasure of its sweetness. Furthermore, the sugar can diminish the inherent health benefits of the tea's antioxidants. Choosing unsweetened tea or opting for healthier natural alternatives is a far better choice for your long-term health and well-being. By making small, consistent changes, you can enjoy your daily tea ritual without compromising your health.

Keypoints

• Daily Sugar Intake: Consistent daily tea with sugar can easily exceed recommended intake limits, posing health risks.
• Reduced Antioxidants: Adding sugar may reduce the body's ability to absorb tea's beneficial antioxidants, compromising health benefits.
• Chronic Disease Risk: High sugar consumption increases the risk of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
• Unsweetened Tea Benefits: Studies indicate unsweetened tea consumption is linked to a reduced risk of mortality and better cardiovascular health.
• Healthier Alternatives: Natural sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit, along with spices like cinnamon, offer low-calorie ways to enhance flavor without refined sugar.
• Dental Health: Frequent sipping of sugary tea promotes tooth decay and other dental problems.

Faqs

What is the recommended daily sugar limit? The World Health Organization recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10% of total daily energy intake, with a further reduction to below 5% for additional health benefits. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this is less than 50g, and ideally under 25g, of added sugar.

Does adding sugar completely eliminate tea's health benefits? Adding sugar can reduce the body's ability to absorb tea's antioxidants, diminishing some health benefits. It doesn't necessarily eliminate them entirely, but it introduces significant health risks associated with high sugar intake.

Are all sugars in tea bad for you? The primary concern is with added sugars, or 'free sugars,' such as table sugar. Sugars naturally found in whole fruits and vegetables are not a concern in the same way, but most teas do not contain these natural sugars.

Is it better to drink diet or artificially sweetened tea? Studies on artificial sweeteners yield mixed results, with some concerns about potential metabolic disturbances and impact on gut microbiota. Plain, unsweetened tea is widely considered the healthiest option. If you do use sweeteners, opt for natural zero-calorie alternatives like stevia or monk fruit.

How can I get used to drinking tea without sugar? Retraining your taste buds is key. Start by gradually reducing the amount of sugar you use. Explore different types of tea with naturally pleasant flavors, or experiment with flavor-enhancing spices like cinnamon or ginger to ease the transition.

Does sugar in tea cause weight gain? Yes, consuming sugary tea every day adds empty calories to your diet. The liquid sugar does not provide the same satiety as solid food, making it easy to consume excess calories and contribute to weight gain.

What about using honey instead of sugar? Honey is a marginally better option than refined sugar due to its trace nutrients and lower glycemic index, but it is still a form of free sugar. For daily consumption, it should be used sparingly to keep overall sugar intake low.

Citations

• News-Medical.net. (2025). Sweetened tea doesn't offer the same health benefits. Retrieved from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250807/Sweetened-tea-doesne28099t-offer-the-same-health-benefits.aspx
• YouTube. (2022). Sugar in Tea YT. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lExgioMTb78
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2020). Healthy diet. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
• Healthline. (2022). 11 Reasons Why Too Much Sugar Is Bad for You. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar
• National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2025). Association of unsweetened and sweetened tea consumption with incident cardiovascular disease. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12167100/
• Everyday Health. (2024). 12 Potential Signs You’re Eating Too Much Sugar. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/potential-signs-youre-eating-too-much-sugar/
• London Salsa Events. (2025). Is Unsweet Tea Good for You? Absolutely!. Retrieved from https://londonsalsaevents.com/knowledge/is-unsweet-tea-0f478mcm-good-for-you-absolutely/

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the health consequences of daily sugar consumption in tea?

Daily sugar consumption in tea can lead to an increased risk of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The liquid calories from sugar often lead to consuming more than intended, and the blood sugar spikes negatively affect metabolic health.

Does sugar cancel out the health benefits of tea?

While it doesn't completely negate all benefits, sugar can interfere with the body's ability to absorb antioxidants like polyphenols and catechins from tea. This can compromise the tea's natural protective and health-promoting effects.

What is a safe amount of sugar to add to tea every day?

The World Health Organization recommends keeping free sugar intake below 10% of total daily calories, and ideally under 5% for extra health benefits. This is equivalent to about 6-12 teaspoons per day for an average adult, including all dietary sources. Drinking multiple cups with added sugar can quickly exceed this limit.

Are there any healthy alternatives to sugar for my tea?

Yes, healthier alternatives include natural zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit. For flavor, consider adding a squeeze of lemon, a dash of cinnamon, or other spices. If using honey, use it in strict moderation.

Why is unsweetened tea considered healthier than sweetened tea?

Unsweetened tea is healthier because it contains no empty calories and doesn't cause blood sugar spikes. Studies have associated drinking unsweetened tea with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality, a benefit not found in sweetened tea.

Can daily sugary tea affect my teeth?

Yes, frequent consumption of sugary tea exposes your teeth to sugar, which feeds bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria produce acid that erodes tooth enamel, leading to an increased risk of cavities and decay.

How can I reduce my sugar cravings in tea?

Start by gradually reducing the amount of sugar you add to each cup. You can also experiment with different herbal teas that have natural sweetness or add spices to enhance flavor without relying on sugar. Retraining your taste buds takes time and consistency.