Going tea-total; cutting sugar from tea doesn't reduce drinkers enjoyment of a brew

New research from the School of Psychology suggests that tea drinkers still enjoy their brew without sugar even if they simply stopping using it altogether

University of Leeds researchers from the School of Psychology have recently presented their finding at the European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow on Sunday. 

Many people enjoy adding sugar to hot drinks, but with the average teaspoon of white sugar equating to approximately 16 calories this can ultimately add up to a substantial calorific intake annually for an individual. The team aim to use this research to add to the growing body of research about the dangers of excessive sugar intake and the associated risks of its consumption such as an increased risk of obesity leading to cardiovascular and heart problems.

The team, which included Leeds academic Dr Alison Fildes, analysed various data, which was later peer-reviewed by the respective conference officials in Glasgow, documenting a cohort of 64 tea drinking who all sweetened their brew with sugar but who had subsequently followed a new process limiting or cutting out sugar for one month.

The study was split into men who slowly reduced the sugar quantity in their tea over a four week period and those who quit sugar in tea instantly, and a control group who continued drinking their sweet tea.

Results showed that the sugar reduction groups were able to get rid of sugar without it affecting how much they enjoyed their drink. Some 42 per cent of those in the gradual reduction group quit sugar in tea, as did 36 per cent of those who eliminated sugar in one step, and six per cent of those in the control group.

The researchers concluded individuals can successfully limit sugar consumed in tea using two different behavioural strategies. Reducing sugar in tea doesn’t affect liking, suggesting long-term behaviour change and its associated potential health benefits are possible. The authors have suggested that a large trail will be needed to provide further evidence for these findings.

Adapted from https://inews.co.uk/news/health/tea-doesnt-need-sugar-study-taste-test-sweetener/