The following table describes some of the benefits of drinking tea according to reputable sources. Exactly how it has all these effects is not fully known; tea has over 700 chemicals and is thus very tricky to study!
| SUBSTANCE | HEALTH BENEFIT |
| Fluorine | Can prevent dental caries |
| Antioxidants | Reduce the likelihood of different types of cancer |
| Catechins | Anti-obesity, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. |
| Polyphonols (mainly in green tea) | Anti-carcinogenic |
| Flavonoids | Antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory |
| Vitamins | Improved immune response |
| Germicidal substances | Reduce chances of bacterial infections |
| L-theanine | Might be responsible for stress reduction |
| Unknown substance in green tea | Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels |