Consumer Reports checked the evidence and ran its own chemical tests on a variety of teas. The tests included teas from Lipton , Bigelow, Tetley, Twinings , Nestea, Snapple and Celestial Seasonings . Several of these products are hyping their potential benefits. The reason, both say, is that their teas contain antioxidants. Marvin Lipman, MD from Consumer Reports , explains.
Antioxidants neutralize molecules in the body that are called free radicals.
Now, if those free radicals go unchecked, they can do harm to the body's cells and possibly cause a great variety of diseases. Consumer Reports commissioned lab tests to measure the antioxidant power of teas. The tests covered tea brewed from tea bags, as well as powdered teas and several bottled iced teas. The tests found that all of them contained antioxidants. But don't expect a miracle.