Tea as a natural filter: a study reveals new properties of this popular beverage.

Do you love tea? Here’s another reason to enjoy your favorite beverage – it can help purify water. Researchers have discovered yet another benefit of tea.

A new study conducted by scientists at Northwestern University in the United States revealed that tea leaves naturally absorb heavy metals like lead and cadmium. During brewing, these heavy metals adhere to the surface of the tea leaves and remain there.

Which tea works best?

The researchers tested various types of tea – black, green, white, oolong, as well as chamomile and rooibos. They found that all of them have the ability to adsorb metals, but black tea, due to its wrinkled structure, can hold more contaminants. Finely chopped leaves can retain slightly more metal ions than whole leaves.

The type of tea bag also plays a significant role. The researchers discovered that cellulose bags work much more effectively than cotton or nylon ones. Moreover, synthetic materials can even release microplastics into the water, while cellulose is safe and biodegradable.

Brewing time matters

At the same time, a key factor that significantly influences purification is steeping time. The longer the tea steeps, the more contaminants it can absorb. However, it's important not to overbrew – steeping for an extended period, such as overnight, can release a significant portion of the metal back into the water.

Previously, "Telegraph" reported that constant exposure to low-level stress caused mice to engage in habitual behaviors and search for food. In contrast, calm mice made better decisions and reacted more effectively when they weren’t under pressure.