Fasting requires diligent attention to what you allow into your body, including what you drink. This is what to look for when choosing a healthy tea.

Tea is a wonderful way to enjoy a hot, flavorful beverage—sometimes with caffeine—while on a fast. Whether you’re in the midst of a short, long, or intermittent fast, you need liquids to sustain you through your journey. Here is what to look for when choosing a healthy tea.

The Location

Tea is the result of dried leaves and herbs cultivated from individual plants around the world. Just as coffee enthusiasts marvel at the nuanced flavors of beans from various continents and countries, tea drinkers should be conscientious of their tea’s origin.

Knowing where your tea comes from isn’t just a fun trivia answer. The plants that teas come from are quite absorbent, taking in heavy metals and toxins in their soil environment. If you want to avoid drinking things like lead, arsenic, and aluminum, you should find out where your tea originates. There is lots of research and contaminant testing information available, so peruse your favorite tea type’s locations and find the best source for your enjoyment.

Check Antioxidant Levels

Though you need not analyze the chemical reactions happening in your body at a cellular level, it’s helpful to know the benefits of an antioxidant-rich tea. Antioxidants, as the name suggests, inhibit oxidation in your body. During oxidation, harmful elements known as free radicals can enter your bloodstream, damaging nearby cells. Antioxidants prevent this harmful buildup from occurring.

Tea Delivery System

Tea must steep in hot water—or in cold water overnight—to release its full flavor and health potential. However, you must have a way to steep the herbs and plants. That’s where a tea delivery system comes in.

Many healthy tea producers pride themselves on sustainability, meaning they’ll often come without a teabag. Loose leaf tea is a great way to enjoy tea without adding more trash to your garbage. But it does require an extra step. Be sure you have the tools to handle loose leaf tea or tea bags, so you can enjoy the full effects of your beverage while fasting.

Knowing what to look for when choosing a healthy tea will help you maximize your nutrition mid-fast. When you finally break your fast and enjoy a full meal, you can trust that your tea kept you healthy and alert throughout the process. Whether this is your first or your hundredth fast, you should always have a selection of healthy teas at your disposal.