Cold Brew Tea: Refreshing Pleasure or Health Benefit?
Cold brew tea has become a summer favorite, valued for its smooth taste and convenience. But how does this method compare with hot infusion in terms of health and composition?
Different molecules at different temperatures
Studies since the 2010s show that cold-infused teas (4–20 °C, several hours) can yield higher total polyphenols and antioxidant potential than hot brews. For instance, Lantano et al. and Castiglioni et al. (2015) reported more EGCG in some green and white teas, although other compounds (like EC) were absent or weaker.
More recently, a European study (Comparative Analysis…, 2023) confirmed that cold brews can rival hot brews in polyphenol and flavonoid content. A 2025 optimization suggests 12 h at 20 °C maximizes vitamin C and antioxidants. By contrast, a 2022 study on black tea found lower phenolic content in cold brews than hot decoctions—showing the result depends on tea type.
What about health?
Clinical data remain limited. Animal studies (2022–2023) suggest cold-brewed jasmine tea may attenuate high-fat diet effects. In humans, evidence is mostly indirect: Islami et al. (2019) linked very hot tea (> 60 °C) to higher risk of esophageal cancer—implying cooler beverages may avoid this. Cold maté (Maufrais et al., 2018) and cold green tea (Chen et al., 2019) have shown possible metabolic benefits (lipid oxidation, glycemic control).
Still under exploration
Overall, cold brew is a sensory alternative—smoother, sometimes richer in antioxidants. But direct health evidence remains insufficient. This is an emerging research field worth watching.
Bibliography
· CASTIGLIONI, S., et al., 2015. Polyphenols and antioxidant activity of white and green teas after cold infusion. Food Chemistry, 185, p. 357-363.
· LANTANO, C., et al., 2015. Effect of cold infusion on antioxidant capacity and catechin content of teas. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 40, p. 1-6.
· ISLAMI, F., et al., 2019. Tea drinking temperature and risk of oesophageal cancer. International Journal of Cancer, 144(8), p. 1943-1950.
· MAUFRAIS, C., et al., 2018. Impact of maté infusion temperature on cardiovascular and metabolic responses. Clinical Nutrition, 37(3), p. 980-986.
· CHEN, L., et al., 2019. Hypoglycemic effects of cold-infused green tea: a pilot study. Nutrients, 11(4), 1017.
· Comparative Analysis of Hot and Cold Brews from Single-Estate Teas, 2023. Molecules, 28(12), 4021.
· Optimizing brewing conditions for low-temperature green tea infusions, 2025. Food Chemistry, 430, 137268.
· Cold-Brewed Jasmine Tea attenuates high-fat diet effects, 2022. Nutrients, 14(24), 5223.
· A Comparison of the Polyphenolic and Antioxidant Properties of Cold vs Hot Black Tea, 2022. Journal of Food Research, 11(3), p. 12-20.
