You’ve probably seen the ads — "Lose Weight with Great New Diet Discovery" — "Ancient Secrets of the Far-East Revealed" — and it turns out to be a "magical weight-loss tea".

What’s the big secret? Is it even a secret? Well, not exactly. What you get, if you succumb to the hype, is pretty much the same as most diet plans: A generic, reduced-calorie diet, a recommendation to exercise regularly, and the secret ingredient — in this case, a "special" tea.

Don’t get me wrong — I am very fond of tea — green, white, black, or herbal. I drink lots of tea, both hot and cold, with meals and for snacks. But tea is hardly a secret. And its benefits are well-known.

To lose weight and maintain good health, we all need to drink plenty of water. And drinking tea is a good way to do that. It helps keep you hydrated, and also helps to curb a runaway appetite. Hot tea is soothing when your nerves are frazzled, and iced tea is refreshing when you’re overheated. The caffeine in tea can give you a lift, and herbal tea can help you calm down at bedtime. All of these are good reasons to have various types of tea handy. And all can be useful adjuncts to your weight loss regimen.

But ignore all those entreaties to buy this or that special diet tea. Just keep some black, green, white, and herbal tea in your pantry. Choose either teabags or loose tea, whichever you prefer, and you can do the same "magic" without the hefty price tag or the hype.