Regular tea consumption is associated with a lower risk of vascular diseases such as stroke, coronary heart disease and heart attacks, according to a new study.
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The tea is prepared by brewing the processed leaves of Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. All varieties, including white, green, oolong, black and pu-erh, come from this single plant, with their distinct flavors determined by their degree of oxidation.
Drink is an integral part of the diet in many cultures. From English breakfast to Chinese tea ceremonies, it is present in the daily lives of millions of people around the world.
Bioactive compounds in tea, including polyphenols and flavonoids, have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial-protective properties that preserve the inner lining of blood vessels and maintain healthy circulation, which may help prevent vascular disease, according to a study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Researchers followed nearly 500,000 Chinese for an average of nine years, recording their tea consumption and any illnesses that developed during that time. They found that those who regularly drank tea three or more times per week had an 11.2% lower overall risk of vascular disease. The strongest association was for ischemic stroke with a reduction of 36.6%, followed by cerebrovascular disease with 19.1%.
The protective associations varied greatly depending on how the tea was prepared and consumed, the researchers found.
Among participants, median consumption was between two and three cups per day; however, the lowest associated risk was among those who consumed six to eight cups per day.
Black tea showed the strongest and most consistent association with vascular disease, followed by green tea. Researchers attribute this to fermentation-derived compounds, such as theaflavins, which have anti-inflammatory and lipid-regulating properties.
The temperature and strength of the brew also made a difference. Researchers found that the best combination was medium-strong, non-hot tea.
Surprisingly, burning hot tea was linked to the opposite effect: a 16% increase in the risk of vascular disease. Very hot drinks have also been linked to a higher risk of esophageal cancer.
Tea is not a miracle solution
The protective association of habitual tea consumption was consistent across most demographic subgroups, but was significantly stronger among obese people, the researchers noted.
Despite these findings, the authors caution that tea consumption alone does not protect against cardiovascular disease and should be part of a broader healthy lifestyle and complement established prevention strategies.
“This was an observational study and other differences in people’s diets and lifestyles could help explain the findings,” said Dell Stanford, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, who was not involved in the study, adding that the findings do not prove “that a daily cup of tea protects your heart.”
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of illness and mortality in the European Union, accounting for one in three deaths and affecting around 62 million people.
Gn Health
