A new study has found that regular tea consumption is linked to healthier years of life and a longer lifespan.
In fact, people who drink tea more than three times a week reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke by 20%. Compared to those who do not drink tea regularly or who never consume it, according to this study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Habitual tea drinkers also had a 15% lower chance of dying from any other cause. The type of tea you drink, however, can make a difference. Consuming green tea is already known to be linked to about a 25% lower risk of heart disease and fatal strokes and death from all causes.
The longer you drink tea, the greater the benefit
Continued consumption seems to be the key to the positive power of tea. “The most interesting conclusion for us is that sticking to the habit of drinking tea over the long term could enhance the health benefits of tea,” says study author Dr Dongfeng Gu, from the Department of Epidemiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Beijing Union Medical College, Beijing.
The risk of cardiovascular disease was 40% lower in the 4,267 participants who continued to drink tea regularly for at least eight years, according to Dr. Gu. These long-term tea drinkers also had a 56% reduced risk of fatal heart disease and stroke and a 29% reduced risk of death from all causes compared to non-habitual or never-having tea drinkers. drank tea.
Why is green tea so good for us?
Tea is a rich source of powerful antioxidants, known to have heart and vascular health benefits, including protecting arteries against inflammation, stress, and lowering blood pressure. Green tea, in particular, is more potent because it is less processed than black tea, so more of these beneficial substances are available in the finished product.
Additionally, green tea contains bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, such as catechins, and polyphenols, all of which have been linked to significant cardiovascular benefits. Polyphenols are also present in olive oil, cocoa and red wine.
The known benefits associated with these polyphenols and flavonoids are anti-inflammatory. This leads to improved blood vessel function with more dilation and less constriction, improved heart cell function, increased our HDL [bon cholestérol]improved blood pressure, reduction in various markers of inflammation[suchasC-reactiveproteinandinterleukin-6[telsquelaprotéineC-réactiveetl’interleukine-6
Source:
Xinyan Wang, Fangchao Liu: Tea consumption and the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. The China-PAR project. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. January 2020.
