According to researchers, people who drink green or black tea at least three times a week benefit from polyphenols, which can improve their cardiovascular health. The health benefits are mainly due to these ingredients found in black and green tea along with other foods. A cup a day can help keep the doctor away and theto extend lifespan.
Drink tea for heart health
This emerges from research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. In it, scientists suggest that drinking tea three or more times per week can lead to improved cardiovascular health and a longer lifespan. In their large, long-term study, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing followed 100,902 participants with no history of a heart attack, stroke or cancer.
The team divided this group into two groups. These were those who drank tea three or more times a week and those who didn't. After an average of 7 years of observation, researchers found that those who drank tea more often were more likely to stay healthy longer. Research has also found that habitual tea drinkers are 20 percent less likely to develop heart disease and stroke. About 22 percent fewer died from heart disease and strokes and 15 percent fewer died from other causes of death.
The research team also evaluated a subgroup of just over 14,000 people in a follow-up study. Those who maintained their tea drinking habit in both studies saw more significant benefits, including a 56 percent lower risk of fatal heart disease and stroke. Some experts quoted on the Science Media Center website point out that this study was observational and does not necessarily establish a link between tea drinking and cardiovascular health and longevity.
Benefits of polyphenol effect
Experts attribute the health benefits seen in regular tea drinkers to polyphenols. These organic chemicals are found in both black and green tea.
“Polyphenols come from plants, particularly flowering plants,” said Dr. Satjit Bhusri. He is a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. “The 'phenol' part of polyphenols is where plants and flowers develop their smell or aroma.”
“These benefits include improving the function of blood vessels, dilating them and reducing constriction,” he said. “These compounds can also increase good cholesterol, tooprotects the heart. These compounds also have a reduction in inflammation and make our blood platelets, the clotting factor, less sticky.”
All of this results in a chemical known to promote cardiovascular health. Experts point out that polyphenols do not remain stored in the body for long. For this reason, frequent and continuous tea consumption is necessary to reap these benefits.
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