Welcome back to Just Curious, Strong Women’s weekly series exploring all the random health and fitness questions you’ve always wondered about but never got the answers to.

This week, we’re looking into how many cups of tea you can drink a day to reap the health benefits while avoiding any caffeine-related side effects.

There’s nothing quite like a good cup of tea to give you a warming pick-me-up. We’re big fans of coffee here at Strong Women (it tastes good, gives you a welcome energy boost and offers plenty of health benefits), but there are times when only a rich, malty mug of breakfast tea will do.

But because it’s lower in caffeine than coffee, tea often gets off scot-free when it comes to conversations about our caffeine intake. It’s not uncommon to come across people debating how many cups of coffee are too many, but we tea drinkers are often left to our own devices, pouring one mug after the other in reckless abandon. 

And while tea is lower in caffeine than coffee (the average cup of tea contains around half as much caffeine as the average cup of coffee), consuming too much in one day can lead to the same undesirable side effects. However, tea can also offer a range of health benefits, so cutting it out altogether isn’t just unnecessary – it could be detrimental. The question is: how much tea is good for you?  

Black tea contains less caffeine than coffee, which is why people with caffeine sensitivity can sometimes enjoy tea even though they can’t manage coffee.

“A typical cup of black tea contains approximately 40-70mg of caffeine, while a standard cup of coffee generally contains around 80-120mg, depending on the brewing method and the type of coffee bean,” explains Karine Patel, a dietitian and director at Dietitian Fit. “This makes tea a gentler option for those seeking a moderate caffeine boost without the intensity of coffee.”

It’s worth noting that if you drink lots of cups of tea in a short period of time, you may end up consuming more caffeine than you would in just one cup of coffee. The half-life of caffeine is typically between four and six hours, which means drinking multiple cups in that time will cause the caffeine, and its effects, to build up within your body.  

Just like coffee, black tea – of which English breakfast tea is a blend – is rich in antioxidants, which is one of the main reasons why it offers a range of health benefits.

“It’s particularly rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant that supports heart health by improving blood vessel function and reducing inflammation,” Patel says. “Black tea, particularly when consumed without added sugars or cream, has been associated with potential benefits such as improved cholesterol levels and reduced risk of certain chronic diseases.”

The polyphenols in black tea (another kind of antioxidant), can also offer benefits for gut health, while the caffeine in tea can lead to increased mental alertness. 

How much tea is too much tea? According to Patel, the line lies around the four-cup mark.

“The number of cups of tea you can safely consume varies depending on individual caffeine tolerance, but for most people, up to three to four cups of tea a day is a reasonable amount,” Patel says. “This can provide the health benefits of tea without excessive caffeine intake.”

If you’re less sensitive to caffeine or are used to drinking more, Patel suggests that drinking up to six cups a day may be fine but going beyond that may lead to issues.

“Drinking between seven to 10 cups a day may lead to side effects like jitteriness, difficulty sleeping or even digestive discomfort in sensitive individuals,” she adds.

One important thing to remember is that you need to balance out your tea consumption with other forms of hydration and be careful about what you eat before and after you drink a cup of tea, as the tannins can mess with the absorption of iron.  

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