A secret product that purifies water from harmful metals has been discovered—it's something you can find in every kitchen!

Most people around the world start their day with a cup of aromatic tea or coffee, and now, in a new study, scientists have uncovered a hidden health benefit related to how we brew our daily cup of tea, reports Manchester Evening News.

The recent research, published in the journal ACS Food Science & Technology, revealed that tea leaves naturally absorb heavy metals like lead and cadmium. As a result, tea can filter harmful contaminants from water, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

According to the study's lead author, Benjamin Shindel, he and his colleagues discovered that the brewing process itself removes "a significant amount of toxic compounds from drinking water." Interestingly, the longer the tea is brewed, the more dangerous chemicals are eliminated from the water.

The team suggests that an additional cup of tea each day could, over time, likely lead to a decreased risk of diseases associated with heavy metal exposure. The authors believe their findings may also explain why populations that consume more tea tend to have lower rates of heart disease and stroke compared to those who drink less tea.

Which tea performs the best?

In their study, the researchers tested various types of tea, tea bags, and brewing methods. To conduct the analysis, a group of scientists from Northwestern University in Illinois, USA, examined different types of tea, including black, green, oolong, and white, as well as chamomile and rooibos. They also investigated the differences between loose leaf and bagged tea.

During the study, the scientists steeped tea leaves for varying lengths of time in aqueous solutions with known quantities of metals such as lead, chromium, copper, zinc, and cadmium. They then measured how much metal the tea absorbed and found that heavy metals can cause serious health issues, including liver and kidney damage, skin diseases, cognitive impairments, and even cancer.

The results indicated that finely ground black tea leaves were the most effective at removing toxic heavy metals. In fact, a cup of black tea brewed for five minutes reduces the concentration of lead ions in water by approximately 15%.

The study's findings also highlighted the important role of the tea bag. For instance, cotton and nylon tea bags absorb only a small amount of harmful contaminants, while biodegradable paper tea bags perform incredibly well.

Where do the toxic chemicals go?

The study's results show that heavy metal ions simply adhere to the surface of the tea leaves, where they remain. After brewing, people typically dispose of the leaves.

Important! This article is based on the latest scientific and medical research and does not contradict them. The text is for informational purposes only and does not contain medical advice. For a diagnosis, be sure to consult a doctor.