What's it good for? Protecting against heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A recent paper by UK nutritionists Dr Carrie Ruxton and Dr Pamela Mason found that drinking three or more cups of black tea each day wards off heart disease and two or more cuppas a day may protect against type 2 diabetes. The magic ingredient? Antioxidants called flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties. What's more, black tea also contains polyphenols, which have been shown to destroy cancer cells. And adding milk to your tea doesn't appear to influence these healthy effects. But be warned: tannin compounds, found in most black teas, can meddle with iron absorption if consumed in high amounts.

Give it a try: Victory Tea - a blend of Kenyan black teas - is a great online bulk buy. A box of 640 teabags costs £16 from www.victorytea.co.uk.

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What's it good for? Boosting immunity. 'This caffeine-free red tea is a good source of polyphenol antixodiants that help fight cancer and slow the effects of ageing,' says health and beauty expert Tina Richards. 'It's also known to be soothing on the nervous system, so helpful for alleviating depression, stress-related headaches and insomnia. And because it's low in tannins, it doesn't interfere with iron absorption.'

Give it a try: Bellevue Tea Rooibos costs £2.50 for 25 individually wrapped teabags from health food shops nationwide or www.bellevue-tea.com.

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What's it good for? All-round good health, including protecting against cancer. 'The polyphenols found in green tea make it a good natural source of antioxidants,' says Tina Richards. 'One in particular - EGCG - has been found to inhibit cancer cell growth. And because it stimulates heat production in the body, it can help support weight loss.' Some studies also suggest green tea may help reduce cholesterol levels.

Give it a try: Do Matcha Ceremonial Premium Tea is a high-quality Japanese green tea powder that contains 137 times more EGCG than ordinary green tea. It costs £25 for 30g (about 25 servings) from www.nutricentre.com.

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What's it good for? Managing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Studies suggest that a daily dose of artichoke extract can improve stomach and liver function. For instance, researchers from the University of Reading found that patients who took the extract experienced a significant drop in IBS symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. Drinking artichoke tea is an easy way to reap those benefits.

Give it a try: Natur Boutique Artichoke Tea is one of the first artichoke teas available in the UK. It costs £2.99 for 20 teabags from www.naturboutique.co.uk.

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What's it good for? Boosting the cardiovascular system. Hawthorn boasts a high antioxidant content, which causes the smooth muscles in the heart and blood vessels to dilate and so improves circulation and lowers blood pressure. As such, it can also be used to treat symptoms of anxiety such as hypertension. Be warned: it has a rather bitter taste, but this can easily be remedied by blending it with other herbal extracts.

Give it a try: Heath & Heather Dandelion, Burdock & Hawthorn Leaves Tea combines hawthorn with traditional English dandelion and burdock for a sweeter-tasting brew. It costs £1.39 for 20 teabags from Boots, Holland & Barrett and www.heathandheather.co.uk.

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What's it good for? Boosting digestion and alertness. 'Ginger gets rid of sluggishness in the body and is great for aiding digestion and balancing the metabolism,' says herbalist Sebastian Pole, founder of Pukka Herbs. 'Ginger tea is the perfect antidote to nausea and is also known for improving peripheral circulation.' Gingerol - the active ingredient in ginger - has been found to prevent blood platelets from clotting.

Give it a try: Pukka Herbs Three Ginger tea contains a trio of roots from the ginger family for fuller flavour. It costs £2.25 for 20 sachets from supermarkets nationwide and www.pukkaherbs.com.

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What's it good for?Helping you to stay calm and manage stress. 'Camomile is soothing and relaxing,' says Tina Richards. 'It's a good tea to drink when you're feeling stressed or before bed for restful sleep. It's also a great stomach-soother and can help ease period pain, indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome.' It's thought many of its benefits stem from an amino acid called glycine, which acts as a nerve relaxant and helps ease muscle spasm.

Give it a try: Essential Organic Fair Trade Camomile Tea costs £1.29 for 20 tea bags from www.ethicallyessential.coop.

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What are they good for? Bringing perfect balance to your body and mind. How so? Well, Ayurveda is an Indian philosophy and medicine that uses a blend of traditional herbs to treat conditions according to your body-mind type or 'dosha'. You can get an approximation of your body type by answering a short questionnaire at www.ayurvedapura.com/your-body-type-1.html. Then select the tea that works best for you and your particular concerns.

Give it a try: Ayurveda Pura Re-Fresh Herbal Tea has been specially blended to help you de-stress and detox. Ingredients include saffron and fennel to help cool the body, and cinnamon, ginger and cloves to calm the mind and stay focused. It costs £6.95 for 40 tea bags from www.ayurvedapura.com.

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What's it good for? Aiding digestion. 'Peppermint tea soothes the stomach and is good for treating indigestion, nausea, flatulence, irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn,' says Tina Richards. 'It's also a refreshing pick-me-up and is helpful for easing coughs, colds and stress.' Want a celebrity endorsement? Earlier this year, Victoria Beckham served mint tea at her New York fashion show, insisting: 'It's the new champagne!' Well, it's certainly cheaper than the bubbly stuff...

Give it a try: Pukka Herbs Three Mint Tea combines peppermint, spearmint and fieldmint. It costs £2.25 for 20 sachets from supermarkets nationwide, www.revital.com and www.pukkaherbs.com.

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What's it good for? Keeping blood pressure in check. Drinking just three cups of tea made from the flowers of the hibiscus shrub could reduce the blood pressure of people at risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, according to a 2009 US study. It's thought the effects are due to the tea's high antioxidant content. The caveat? This was only a small-scale study of 65 people, and many other environmental factors - such as smoking, diet and stress - play a huge part in raising blood pressure.

Give it a try: Essential Organic Fair Trade Hibiscus Tea costs £1.29 for 20 tea bags from www.ethicallyessential.coop.

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