Sip about three cups a day to enjoy the health benefits of tea, but don’t totally give up on water, either.

Pour it on: Some tea believers say it's better for you than water.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—The health benefits of tea are well established. Teas are loaded with heart-protecting and disease-annihilating antioxidants, and can even help you lose weight. And several recently published studies suggest that the health benefits of tea drinking outweigh those of drinking straight water.

THE DETAILS: Building on previous research examining the health benefits of tea, a British researcher analyzed studies published between 2004 and 2009 for a more up-to-date analysis of how tea—in this case, black tea—holds the ability to improve human health. As in previous studies, a strong link between the beverage and heart-protective qualities was established, most likely a result of the beneficial flavonoid activity in the tea. The research suggests that drinking one to eight cups (cups, not gigantic mugs) a day is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease. There’s also emerging evidence that black tea possesses anticancer properties, and possibly improves cognitive function and helps people lose weight, although the author concludes that more studies are needed in these departments. (It should be noted that this research was funded by the tea industry.)

The author of the new research was also involved in a previous review of published literature relating to the health benefits of tea, and found evidence that drinking four cups of tea a day can significantly reduce the risk of having a heart attack. That analysis also found that drinking tea can improve tooth health, reducing decay and plague. (Tea naturally contains fluoride.) The authors of this large review, published in 2006, ascertained that tea drinking could be healthier than regular water drinking, because tea hydrates like water but also boasts the additional benefit of antioxidants such as flavonoids. The review was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

WHAT IT MEANS: Although eight cups of tea a day sounds like a lot, researchers say that amount falls under “moderate” caffeine intake, noting that this amount does not dehydrate you the way large quantities of caffeine might. (People with high blood pressure, who or pregnant, or live with other health conditions should talk to a doctor before incorporating tea into their diet.) The good news, though, is that drinking half that amount also provides health benefits. And good news for swimsuit season: Drinking just three cups a day of green tea seems to help you melt off extra pounds. A study by the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University found that participants who drank three cups of green tea a day lost twice as much weight as non-tea drinkers. A type of antioxidant known as catechins is credited with the weight-loss benefits of green tea. (Replacing a little tea brewing water with lime or lemon juice can help your body activate even more of the tea’s catechins.)