The invention provides a tea pigment containing water-based coating for cigarette plug wrap paper. At present, the plug wrap paper is restricted to binding tows and has no direct effects on reducing the harm of the cigarette and improving the mouthfeel. The water-based coating is prepared from the following raw materials: 100 parts of water, 8-20 parts of tea pigments, 5-15 parts of carboxymethylcellulose, 3-12 parts of cassava starch and 3-12 parts of guar gum. The water-based coating is prepared by the following method: A. fully mixing the tea pigments, the carboxymethylcellulose, the cassava starch and the guar gum in proportion; and B. heating the water in corresponding proportion to 80-100 DEG C and then adding the water to the mixture obtained in step A and fully stirring the mixture to prepare crosslinked mixed liquor, thus obtaining the water-based coating. The water-based coating can be adhered to the plug wrap paper so as to reduce the harmful substances in the smoke, utilizes water as a solvent so that the problem of volatile organic solvent residues is avoided after coating, saves energy and is safe, pollution-free and safer for smoking.