If you enjoy a teaspoon of sugar (or four) in your tea, it could be time to quit – new research suggests it won’t affect the satisfaction of a good cuppa.
Health experts found that cutting out sugar in one drastic step, or gradually reducing it over time, were both effective methods for reducing consumption.
Once sugar was cut out, people still enjoyed their daily tea – proving nothing will ever come between Brits and a brew.
[Read More: How much is your cup of tea costing the environment?]
The team, from University College London and the University of Leeds, called excess sugar a “public health problem” and said sugar in beverages contributes substantially to total intake.
They analysed data from 64 men who drank tea with sugar. The group was split equally into men who gradually reduced the sugar in their tea over four weeks; those who quit sugar in tea in one step; and a control group who continued drinking sweet tea.
The results showed that the sugar reduction groups were able to get rid of sugar without it affecting how much they liked their tea.
At the end of the study, 42% of those in the gradual reduction group quit sugar in tea completely, as did 36% of those who eliminated sugar in one step – and just 6% of those in the control group.
The researchers concluded: “Individuals can successfully reduce the amount of sugar consumed in tea using two different behavioural strategies.
“Reducing sugar in tea doesn’t affect liking, suggesting long-term behaviour change is possible. Similar interventions could be used to reduce intake of sugar in other beverages such as dilutable fruit juices (eg squash), as well.”
Long live tea.