While many of us can’t cope without our morning coffee, others prefer a nice cup of tea. From breakfast tea to rooibos to green tea and more, there are a million different varieties and blends of tea to enjoy. And if you need another reason to start adding it into your daily routine, new research has suggested that regular tea drinkers have better health.
- The evidence was overwhelming: tea is really good for you. The research, published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, looked at data from 100,902 Chinese adults who had no prior issues with heart attacks, cancer, or stroke. Via questionnaires, scientists were amazed to find that those who drank tea regularly — that is, three or more times a week — had lower incidences of cardiovascular disease and better health.
- The study was widespread and extensive. The research included data collected over the period of 22 years with participants hailing from 15 different provinces in China. While each participant was only studied for an average of 7.3 years each, the result was encouraging nonetheless.
- The decreased risk for tea drinkers was impressive. Researchers found that regular tea drinkers had a whopping 20% decrease in risk of heart disease and stroke in comparison to those who rarely or never drink it. Not only that, but thanks to not dealing with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease-free, regular tea drinkers live on average 1.7 years longer, which may not seem like a big deal but really is.
- Is it all down to polyphenols? Scientists believe that may be the key to the findings. “Habitual tea consumption is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death,” said researcher Dr. Xinyan Wang, according to The Mirror. “The favorable health effects are the most robust for green tea and for long-term habitual tea drinkers.”
- Green tea may be the best for you. Of all the participants involved in the study, 49% of people drank green tea, 43% liked scented or other teas, and 8% had black tea. That could imply that green tea allows for the most health benefits, but any tea is still a positive thing for our health.
