Tea is a great substitute for soft drinks, and if you choose the 'green' variety, you're getting an extra does of antioxidants as well as other disease-fighting agents right there in your beverage.

In addition to those proactive health benefits, a new study shows that consumption of tea may increase bone density. The study involved women who were shown to have heightened bone density after drinking tea compared to those that did not drink tea.

Is tea about to be marketed as an osteoporosis treatment? I doubt that. However, the bone density measurements at issue in this study -- all taken from 275 women between the ages of 70 and 85 -- did see marked improvements over the five-year study time frame. Note that black and green teas are the specific ones referenced in this study -- not herbal teas.