Tea Can Help Remove Heavy Metals from Water, Study Finds

A new study from Northwestern University, USA, has found that tea has another surprising health benefit—it can naturally filter heavy metals like lead, chromium, and cadmium from water. This discovery adds to tea’s already well-known health advantages.

Tea as a Natural Water Purifier

Published in ACS Food Science & Technology, the study suggests that drinking tea may help lower exposure to harmful heavy metals, which are linked to health issues like heart disease, stroke, headaches, and insomnia. Researchers found that steeping a cup of black tea for five minutes could reduce lead levels in water by about 15%.

Lead researcher Benjamin Shindel explained that while lead contamination in drinking water is relatively low in some countries like the UK, tea drinking can still have a positive impact. These findings could further boost tea’s reputation as a health-friendly beverage.

Key Findings: How Tea Helps Filter Heavy Metals

Scientists conducted experiments using different water samples with specific amounts of heavy metals. They discovered that:

• Black, green, and white teas remove more lead than chamomile, rooibos, or oolong teas when steeped for 24 hours.
• Empty cellulose tea bags help lower lead levels, while cotton and nylon bags do not.
• Ground tea leaves work better than whole leaves in removing heavy metals.
• Tea reduces lead, chromium, and cadmium levels in water.
• Steeping tea longer and using hotter water increases its filtering effect.

Health & Environmental Impact

With growing concerns about water pollution, tea’s unexpected ability to filter heavy metals may encourage further research. This discovery could lead to new ways of purifying water and tackling contamination.

While tea alone may not eliminate all heavy metals from water, it can help reduce exposure. For tea lovers, this adds another reason to enjoy their daily cup—not just for relaxation and antioxidants, but also for improving water quality.