“These aren’t miracle teas and infusions”: Dr Cohen warns to be cautious with these four recommendations.

Promisses of rapid weight loss, perfect sleep and a “de-bloated” body fill the tea shelves.

But the story isn’t that simple.

With the boom in functional teas and “detox” blends, many people see a steaming mug as a kind of shortcut to perfect health. Yet, according to French nutrition doctor Jean-Michel Cohen, some of these products sold as miraculous hide pitfalls in their ingredients and demand a much more critical eye from consumers.

Tea has become a marketing product, not a health one

Tea and herbal infusions are growing in popularity year after year, both in Europe and in Brazil. It’s no longer just the usual black tea or yerba mate. Today’s range includes:

• thermogenic green tea
• “fat-burning” infusions
• blends to “drain fluids”
• blends to “sleep better” or “relax quickly”

Many of these options promise fast results: lose a few kilograms, flatten your stomach, control anxiety. In theory, they seem harmless. In practice, they’re often just well-packaged marketing.

Products sold as “healthy infusions” can contain excessive flavourings, hidden sugar and ingredients that aren’t ideal for everyday use.

Cohen draws attention to this shift: the traditional drink made from whole leaves gives way to industrial tea bags, rich in powder, fragments and additives.

Why leaf quality changes everything

When it comes to quality tea, the starting point is simple: the plant. The most valued leaves are generally the smaller ones closest to the bud, rich in natural aromatic compounds. And, according to the doctor, these leaves should be used whole, not ground down into powder.

With whole leaves, hot water can extract essential oils and bioactive substances more effectively. That means a more complex flavour and, in many cases, more genuine benefits linked to the plant itself.

In common tea bags, however, little of that experience remains. Instead of visible leaves, you often get finely ground contents-made from broken leaf bits and even “tea dust”.

The more a tea looks like “powder”, the greater the chance it has lost its natural aroma and relies on artificial flavourings to taste appealing.

Cohen notes that many everyday products contain more flavouring than identifiable plant material. In the cup, the consumer smells an intense hit of berries or spices, but much of it comes from added compounds, not the plant itself.

Four products put under scrutiny

Based on label analysis, the nutrition doctor pointed to four specific products that, in his view, should be avoided or consumed only in moderation. They also serve as examples of what to look out for with any brand.

1. Blueberry and raspberry flavoured tea (Twinings)

The first case is a blueberry and raspberry flavoured tea. The appeal is strong: red berries, a “light” image, elegant packaging. The issue, according to Cohen, is the dominance of flavourings in the ingredients.

In other words: the fruity taste doesn’t necessarily come from pieces of blueberry or raspberry, but mainly from added flavourings. There’s also another point to note: the presence of liquorice root.

This ingredient, common in aromatic blends, can raise blood pressure in some people. For that reason, it’s not the best choice for anyone with high blood pressure or a cardiovascular history.

2. Chocolate, hazelnut and chai latte tea (Twinings)

Another product criticised is the latte-style tea with chocolate, hazelnut and chai flavours. Here the appeal is more indulgent-almost like a “hot sweet treat” in a mug. The problem is that a product like this often drifts a long way from the idea of a light tea.

These preparations can contain added sugars, intense flavourings, milk powder and fats. For anyone aiming for a healthy daily habit, that combination tends to add calories and less useful ingredients-especially if drunk several times a day.

3. Marrakech Tea (Nescafé Dolce Gusto)

The well-known “Moroccan-style” tea capsule also made the list. Cohen’s criticism is blunt: the first ingredient on the label is sugar.

In one cup, a person may be consuming the equivalent of a sugar cube without realising it.

That turns what many see as a light drink into yet another daily source of free sugars. For anyone dealing with weight, triglycerides or insulin resistance, this detail can make a big difference over the weeks.

4. “Fat-burning” infusion (Jardin Bio Étic)

Finally, the doctor criticises an infusion sold as a “fat burner”. The packaging suggests an innocent herbal drink. But the product contains theine-the same stimulant found in tea.

In practice, that means a stimulating effect, which doesn’t match the idea of a gentle infusion suitable at any time. And the promise of “burning fat”, for Cohen, is clearly exaggerated: no tea, on its own, can produce that kind of visible result.

How to read a tea label without falling into traps

If you want to keep the habit but do it more consciously, it’s worth checking a few basics on the label:

What to look for	Why it matters
A short ingredient list	Fewer items often means fewer additives and more real plant material.
Identifiable leaves, flowers or peels	Recognisable ingredients suggest a more transparent blend.
Where sugar appears in the list	If it’s among the first ingredients, the product is far sweeter than it seems.
Too many “natural flavourings”	They can disguise poor quality or a low amount of actual plant material.
Miracle claims on the pack	Rapid weight loss or “fat burning” is almost always marketing, not science.

A miracle in a mug? What tea can actually do

Teas and infusions can, yes, play a useful role in your routine. They can help reduce fizzy drink intake, offer comfort, increase fluid intake and, in some cases, complement other healthy habits with compounds such as catechins, flavonoids and antioxidants.

The problem starts when the drink is treated as a stand-alone solution. A digestive herbal infusion may ease discomfort after a heavy meal, but it won’t fix an unbalanced diet. A tea with a mild diuretic effect may reduce the feeling of puffiness, but it won’t solve fluid retention linked to hormones or health conditions.

When a label promises too much, be sceptical: tea doesn’t replace a balanced diet, adequate sleep and daily movement.

Subtle risks: when “harmless” adds up

Some situations deserve extra caution. People with high blood pressure may be sensitive to the combination of caffeine (or theine) with plants such as liquorice. Anyone with insomnia can worsen their sleep by having stimulating teas late in the day, thinking they’re drinking “just a fruit infusion”.

There’s also the cumulative effect of sugar. A sweetened ready-to-drink tea every afternoon adds calories that are easy to overlook. Over a month, that can amount to a significant extra intake of sugar.

How to build a safer, more honest tea routine

A practical approach is to create a small home “tea cupboard” with simple herbs bought loose from trusted sellers: chamomile, mint, fennel, lemongrass, dried orange peel. In this format, you can see what’s in the teapot, smell the true fragrance of the plants and control the mix.

Another step is to keep teas with sugar, milk powder or dessert-like flavours for occasional treats-rather than a daily “health” ritual. For everyday use, unsweetened versions with whole ingredients tend to make more sense.

Anyone taking regular medication-such as blood-pressure tablets, anticoagulants or thyroid medicines-may need professional advice before overdoing certain herbs. Tea is rarely the main culprit, but in high and frequent doses, some plants can interact with medicines.

In the end, Jean-Michel Cohen’s message isn’t to give up tea, but to give up the fantasy. A steaming mug can be a genuinely enjoyable ally in daily life-so long as you learn to read the label with the same care you give to what’s on your plate.