This tea could boost your bone health- and it has 20 times more calcium than milk

We all love a good cuppa here in the UK, whether you take your tea black, milky, or strong. But while a breakfast tea is well-loved in our culture, herbal teas have been rising in popularity in recent years.

In fact, us Brits use an average of 61 billion teabags a year, which is enough to cover 31,000 football pitches. And in Scotland, we drink roughly six times the amount of tea than they do in Ireland.

In Scotland, 47 per cent of us drink standard builders tea with milk, but four other teas are also popular: herbal tea (24%), black tea (13%), green tea (9%), fruit tea (7%) are all staple favourites of Scottish tea drinkers.

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But a traditional Asian tea which uses the leaves of 'Morus nigra', a plant also found in Spain, could be a new favourite for healthy tea lovers, due to its immense calcium content, reports the Mirror.

Dairy products and certain fish like salmon, trout, and tuna are all natural sources of calcium, which promotes bone health. However, there are lesser-known foods that contain even higher levels of this important mineral.

Calcium is extremely important, especially in preventing deficiencies that can lead to conditions like osteoporosis, which weakens bones and is common in older people. While a glass of milk is a common source of the mineral, black mulberry tea can provide your body with up to 22 times more calcium.

The tea is made from Morus nigra (black mulberry leaves), and has long been used in traditional Asian medicine.

The Japanese Ministry of Health even conducted a study into this tea's benefits for osteoporosis cases. And this brew does more than protect your bones. It's also known to regulate blood sugar levels, boost the immune system, promote healthier ageing (thanks to its antioxidants), improve heart health and has anti-inflammatory benefits.

Imagine your morning cuppa being capable of all that!

Plus, it's a simple to make. Grab one or two tablespoons of dried mulberry leaves and half a litre of water. Boil the water, pop in the leaves and let them steep for five to ten minutes before straining. It could be time to switch up your usual choice of tea to reap the incredible benefits of this brew.

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