January sees millions of us ‘detox’ – in an attempt to shed the weight gained over a food and drink-filled festive season. A survey found that the country will be on a health kick this month, with over half of Brits resolving to lose weight (55%) and nearly half planning to start exercising (49%).

Tea drinking is a national institution in the UK, with 165 million cups drank daily – the equivalent of 60.2 billion per year. Scientists have hailed the cuppa as a medical miracle, with amazing disease-fighting capabilities including protective effects against cancer and heart disease.

Tea has also been shown to reduce the effects of a stressful event. Participants in a study experienced a 20 percent drop in cortisol, a stress hormone, after drinking four cups of tea daily for one month. Researchers found that blood platelet activation – linked to blood clotting and the risk of heart attacks – was lower in the tea drinkers who reported a greater degree of relaxation suggesting that tea can detox the mind as well as the body.