Enjoy this midday sip to help benefit your heart, brain and gut health.
Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD
Key Points
- The Mediterranean Diet is known for its foods, but drinking tea after lunch has benefits.
- Drinking tea may benefit heart health, protect your brain and improve digestion.
- In addition to green or black tea, water, herbal tea and coffee are good options.
The Mediterranean diet is regularly listed as a top eating pattern, and most of that credit goes to what’s on the plate: fatty fish, olive oil, leafy greens, whole grains and a handful of nuts. But what’s in the glass matters, too, and it starts with understanding how beverages are traditionally enjoyed in the Mediterranean.
Instead of our typical grab-and-go cup with a lid, people in the Mediterranean tend to take a break and truly savor their after-lunch sip. “The afternoon beverage ritual is a lesson in mindfulness which helps calm the stresses of the day and sets the tone for the evening ahead,” says Carolyn O’Neil, M.S., RDN.
One beverage that’s consistently enjoyed in the Mediterranean after lunch is tea—and it’s a beneficial beverage that you can bring into your own afternoon ritual. Here’s why dietitians think a cup of post-lunch tea is a tradition worth adopting.
Supports the Same Heart Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet
Cardiovascular protection is the Mediterranean diet’s signature benefit, and tea appears to reinforce it. A meta-analysis involving nearly 2 million people found that those who drank the most tea had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than people who drank the least.
A similar investigation of green tea found a protective association with coronary heart disease risk, with the biggest benefit at about 2 to 3 cups per day.
Black and green tea both contain naturally occurring compounds called polyphenols—including flavonoids and catechins—that are credited with tea’s benefits. Since both may support heart health, choosing between them comes down to what you prefer and your caffeine tolerance.
Black tea contains nearly twice the caffeine of green tea,although actual levels depend heavily on brewing time and temperature., , . Matcha is another great choice. But because it’s made from concentrated powdered green tea leaves, the caffeine content is higher (along with the beneficial compounds).
May Help Protect Your Brain
Tea has been shown to positively affect alertness, attention and mood, but the benefits may extend to long-term brain health, too.
Tea and coffee are often studied together, and both have been linked to a lower risk of cognitive disorders. “Tea and coffee are also social beverages, and are best enjoyed in the company of others to really honor the spirit of the Mediterranean lifestyle,” says Kelly LeBlanc, M.L.A., RDN.
One meta-analysis found that tea consumption was linked to an 11 percent lower risk of cognitive disorders for every additional cup per day, while coffee’s protective effect peaked at about 2.5 cups a day. A more recent analysis found a similar pattern. Dementia risk decreased as tea intake increased, while coffee’s risk was lowest at 2 to 3 cups a day, but climbed again at higher intakes.
Additional evidence comes from a study on the “green” Mediterranean diet that included 3 to 4 cups of green tea a day. People following this high-polyphenol diet experienced less age-related brain shrinkage, although green tea was only one part of the Green-MED diet. It also included walnuts and reduced red and processed meat.
Offers a Gentle Assist for Digestion and Gut Health
A midday cup of tea may also benefit digestion and gut health. Studies suggest the array of polyphenols in tea helps diversify the beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome.,
Beyond black and green tea, mint tea is a popular choice in the Mediterranean and can be a soothing after-lunch choice. Mint has a long history in Mediterranean cuisines, where it’s used in everything from salads and sauces to beverages.
“Hot mint tea is a soothing, comforting digestif to sip at the end of a lunchtime meal,” says Michelle Dudash, RDN. People who feel sluggish or bloated after lunch may particularly enjoy mint tea, she says.
Mint tea shows up throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa, but it means something different depending on where you are. Sometimes it’s mint (usually spearmint or peppermint) steeped with tea leaves, and sometimes it’s mint on its own with no tea at all.
Since mint leaves are naturally caffeine-free, Dudash notes it offers an alternative to black and green tea for anyone who wants the ritual without the stimulant.
Peppermint contains menthol, which may help with post-meal digestion. Research on peppermint oil, not peppermint tea specifically, has found anti-spasmodic effects in the digestive tract, which may help explain why peppermint has traditionally been used for digestive discomfort.
Other Drinks to Try for the Mediterranean Diet
Tea may be a standout after-lunch pick, but the Mediterranean diet’s approach to beverages is broader than any single drink. A few other options worth rotating into your routine.
- Water. Still or sparkling, plain or with citrus, water is the beverage pictured on the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid and is LeBlanc’s top choice. “By and large, the Mediterranean diet is one in which calories are eaten, not so much gulped, and where simple meals are paired with the simplest of all beverages: water,” she says.
- Hibiscus tea. Not technically made from tea leaves, hibiscus tea is a tart herbal infusion. Popular in Egypt and North Africa, hibiscus tea is enjoyed as an everyday refreshment and as a remedy for high blood pressure, and some clinical evidence supports this connection.
- Herbal teas. Other caffeine-free infusions enjoyed throughout the Mediterranean are made with chamomile, sage, fennel, lemon verbena, oregano and other herbs. Herbal infusions, also called tisanes, are now widely available prepacked in tea bags and loose in bulk.
- Coffee or espresso. Traditionally enjoyed in small, strong pours across Mediterranean countries, coffee shares some of the same polyphenol benefits as tea when consumed without excess sugar or cream. Stick to decaf in the afternoon to help you sleep better.
Our Expert Take
The Mediterranean diet’s benefits don’t stop at the plate, and tea is a simple way to extend the benefits into what you drink. Some studies suggest tea may benefit your heart, brain and gut, but the evidence is still developing. Still, taking a break for a cup of tea—hot or iced, black, green, mint or hibiscus—is a pleasant way to round out a Mediterranean-style day, and an easy way to edge out sodas and other sugary drinks.