New research indicates that people who drink lots of tea or coffee in moderation are less likely to die of heart disease than those who abstain. In one of the largest studies to ever examine the impact of coffee and tea on heart health, via WebMD, researchers found that three to six cups of tea per day had a 45 percent lower risk of death from heart disease than those who drank one cup or no tea at all. Similarly, those who drank two to four cups of coffee per day were found to have a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who drank less coffee. Researchers propose that the flavonoids, a form of antioxidant, is the beneficial agent.
The study, conducted in the Netherlands, followed 37,000 people for 13 years. It did not include people with know heat disease, so it is unclear if coffee and tea will have similar benefits for them. Most of the people in the study consumed black tea, which is more popular both in the Netherlands and in the US than green tea.
“The perception has been that green tea is the ‘healthy’ tea, but this study suggests black tea may be just a good for the heart,” said University of Vermont professor of nutrition Rachel K. Johnson, PhD. “That will be good news to people like me who are not big green-tea lovers.”
Six cups of tea may seem like a lot, but it’s good to keep in mind that the average mug contains more than one cup.