13 Drinks High in Polyphenols

There are many polyphenol-rich foods, and you may have heard foods such as cocoa and blueberries mentioned in this regard. However, there are also many drink options, and this article presents 13 drinks that are high in polyphenols.

For each drink, we provide data on its total polyphenol content and the specific types of polyphenols it contains.

Polyphenols are bioactive compounds found in plant-based foods, and polyphenol-rich diets have been associated with potential health benefits.

Methods and Data Sources

For most drinks in this article, we have provided the ‘total polyphenol content’ sourced from Phenol-Explorer’s ‘folin assay’ data. This is measured in Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE), which is a commonly used lab measurement.

Phenol-Explorer is an extensive database that provides data on the polyphenol content of different foods and drinks. You can read more about the Phenol-Explorer database here.

However, one important issue that could have impacted accuracy is that folin assay data also includes the amount of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant but not a polyphenol.

This could misleadingly inflate the total polyphenol content of fruit juices, which typically provide high amounts of vitamin C. For this reason, we didn’t use the folin assay data for fruit juices, and instead calculated their total using Phenol-Explorer’s chromatography data, which isolates the amounts of each individual polyphenol.

The Most Polyphenol-Rich Drink Options

1) Coffee

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and it is also among the most polyphenol-rich options.

According to Phenol-Explorer, a cup of filter coffee contains a mean 266.70 mg of total polyphenols per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: The main polyphenols present in coffee are caffeoylquinic acids, otherwise known as chlorogenic acid.
• Research on chlorogenic acid: A 2024 systematic review examined the functions and potential effects of chlorogenic acid. This study indicated that chlorogenic acids have anti-inflammatory properties and may help support blood sugar regulation.

2) Red Wine

Red wine is a highly concentrated source of grape polyphenols. However, while there have been some mixed findings, public health organizations consider alcohol intake as a net negative for overall health. For this reason, public health guidance advises low intake for those that do drink alcohol.

According to Phenol-Explorer, red wine has a mean 215.48 mg of total polyphenols per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: The main polyphenols in red wine are flavanols and anthocyanins, with particularly high levels of an anthocyanin called malvidin.
• Research note: A 2021 systematic review found that red wine polyphenols may lower systolic blood pressure. However, this has to be balanced against the potential adverse health effects of alcohol.

3) Black Tea

Black tea leaves are from the exact same plant as green tea, but they undergo oxidation during the production process, which involves harvesting, rolling, and crushing.

A total polyphenol content of 104.48 mg per 100 ml has been recorded for black tea.

• Primary polyphenols: Black tea is a rich source of catechins and theaflavins.
• Research note: A 2026 systematic review of 16 studies involving over 950,000 participants found that black tea consumption was associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

4) Apple Juice

Like the whole fruit from which it comes, apple juice has a high polyphenol content.

Chromatography data indicates that apple juice contains an average 69.87 mg of total polyphenols per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: The main polyphenols in apple juice include the flavonoid procyanidins and epicatechin, as well as chlorogenic acids.
• Research note: A comparative study compared 35 different apple juice products, finding that freshly made apple juices may contain significantly higher polyphenol levels than typical commercial juices. One fresh apple juice variety had 970 mg per liter whereas the lowest commercial sample had only 110 mg per liter.

5) Pomegranate Juice

According to Phenol-Explorer’s database, pure pomegranate juice contains more polyphenols than any other fruit juice.

Per 100 ml, it has an average total polyphenol content of 66.02 mg.

• Primary polyphenols: The main polyphenols in pomegranate juice include anthocyanins and phenolic acids, such as punicalagin, galloyl glucose, and ellagic acid.
• Research note: Findings from a 2024 systematic review of clinical trials indicated that pomegranate juice may improve C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. CRP is a key marker of inflammation, which can potentially cause health issues if chronically elevated.

6) Green Tea

Unlike black tea, green tea leaves are not oxidized and contain higher natural levels of catechins. However, they don’t contain as many theaflavins, which are polyphenols produced as black tea leaves oxidize.

Phenol-Explorer data shows that green tea has a total polyphenol content of 61.86 mg per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: Green tea is a rich source of flavanols such as epicatechin and epigallocatechin.
• Research note: A 2026 systematic review found that green tea intake is associated with a significantly reduced risk of cognitive impairment. However, these findings varied depending on the population region, and further research is necessary to confirm the results.

7) Grapefruit Juice

As well as being a rich source of vitamin C, grapefruit juice contains a wide range of flavonoid polyphenols.

Based on chromatography, it has a total polyphenol content of 53.15 mg per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: Grapefruit juice is particularly high in naringin and narirutin, which are both flavonones.
• Research note: In a 2022 randomized controlled trial, 48 women consumed either grapefruit juice for its naringenin content or a control drink daily for six months. The grapefruit juice group experienced a reduction in the activity of genes related to inflammation and atherosclerosis (plaque buildup). The study’s authors noted this may help support better cardiovascular health and potentially protect against cardiovascular disease. However, it is just one study, and more research is necessary.

8) Beer

It may be surprising to see beer in this list of polyphenol-rich drinks, but grains like barley are a source of these compounds. During the brewing process, these polyphenols become part of the liquid, giving beer its polyphenol content.

Based on Phenol-Explorer data, a typical ale beer has an average total polyphenol content of 52.32 mg per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: Beer contains phenolic acids like ferulic acid and vanillic acid, as well as a range of flavonoids.
• Research note: In addition to polyphenols, beer also contains compounds called melanoidins which are formed when grains like barley are roasted. Melanoidins are thought to have antioxidant properties.

9) Plum Juice

Fresh plums and dried plums (prunes) are a rich source of polyphenols, and so are juices made from them.

According to chromatography data, plum juice typically contains 50.90 mg per 100 ml of total polyphenols.

• Primary polyphenols: The polyphenols in plum juice include flavonoids like catechin and a phenolic acid called caffeoylquinic acid, which is also known as chlorogenic acid.
• Research note: There is little research on plum juice at this time. However, a rat study found that plum juice supplementation had a beneficial role in preventing body weight and improving lipid (cholesterol) profiles. The authors noted that these effects were likely due to the high polyphenol content of plum juice, but this animal study is weak evidence as it relates to human health. The results need repeating in studies involving human participants.

10) Lemon Juice

In addition to vitamin C and citric acid, which is responsible for its sour taste, lemon juice is also rich in polyphenols.

According to chromatography data, lemon juice provides 46.28 mg of polyphenols per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: The major polyphenols in lemon juice are the flavanones eriocitrin and hesperidin.
• Research note: Two randomized controlled trials, published in 2020 and 2022, found that, when consumed first, lemon juice lowered the subsequent blood sugar response to 100 grams of bread.

11) Sea Buckthornberry Juice

Sea buckthornberry juice comes from a type of berry called sea buckthorn. These berries have a bright orange color due to the high concentration of carotenoids they contain.

According to chromatography data, sea buckthornberry juice contains 38.75 mg of total polyphenols per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: The most prominent polyphenols in sea buckthornberry juice include the flavonol isorhamnetin and the flavanol catechin.
• Research note: A 2022 systematic review of 15 clinical trials found that sea buckthorn may lower triglycerides. However, it had no impact on blood pressure, blood sugar, or body mass index (BMI).

12) Rosemary Tea

As well as being a culinary herb, dried rosemary is a popular variety of herbal tea.

According to Phenol-Explorer’s database, it typically contains a total polyphenol content of 35.80 mg per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: The main polyphenol in rosemary tea is a phenolic acid called rosmarinic acid.
• Research note: A 2022 systematic review of lab animal studies found that rosemary improved cognitive performance across various types of memory and learning tests. However, findings from animal studies may not apply to humans, and further clinical research with human participants is necessary.

13) Spearmint Tea

Spearmint tea has an average total polyphenol content of 35.50 mg per 100 ml.

• Primary polyphenols: Like rosemary tea, spearmint tea is also a rich source of rosmarinic acid, a type of phenolic acid. It also contains the flavonoid luteolin and a variety of chlorogenic acids.
• Research note: A randomized controlled trial found that high-rosmarinic acid spearmint tea may decrease knee pain as a complementary therapy in osteoarthritis. However, this spearmint tea was from spearmint produced to be higher in rosmarinic acid than that used in normal commercial spearmint tea.

Other Drinks High in Polyphenols

In addition to the drinks with recorded polyphenol data in Phenol-Explorer, there are several other drinks that are typically high in polyphenols.

However, we did not include them in this guide so as not to mix data sources.

These drinks include:

• Hot chocolate: Since cocoa is among the most polyphenol-rich foods, drinks made with a good serving of it will also be high in polyphenols.
• Butterfly pea flower tea: Sometimes known as “blue tea,” this drink has a brilliant blue pigment due to the anthocyanin polyphenols, such as delphinidin, that it contains.
• Hibiscus tea: Hibiscus has a bold reddish-pink color due to its high content of anthocyanin polyphenols.

Summary

There are many polyphenol-rich drinks out there with a wide variety of flavors and colors, so there is something for everyone.

Since polyphenol-rich diets have been associated with potential benefits, including them in your diet may potentially support good health – particularly if replacing sugar-sweetened beverages like cola.

For more on polyphenols, see this guide to flavonoids.

References