Thread: Is there any truth to talk of tea being the cure to viruses?

For example, drinking tea cures you of the flu and so on.

Have any tea plants been found to have antiviral properties, or at least properties that promote healthy growth in humans?

NO

Teas contain flavonoids, some of which have anti-viral activity, but they don't work as treatments against viruses in humans. First of all, because digesting the falvonoids will not allow them to modify surface proteins on viruses and bacteria. Secondly, to consume enough to effectively treat an infection would probably destroy your liver and not be all that useful anyway.

A number of flavonoids do have noticeable effects on blood pressure and such, which is why there are often warnings on herbal teas for complication with medications. Naringin in grapefruit is a flavanoid that often causes problems with drugs.