Drinking tea ‘can lower the risk of dying from heart disease’

PTI


The favourite hot drink enjoyed by millions of people worldwide is packed with health-boosting properties and mainly it has significant protective effects on the heart.

Tea is known for its several health benefits. Add one more to the list - drinking a cup of the beverage thrice daily can significantly reduce the risk of dying from heart disease, a new study has claimed.

Researchers at the University Medical Centre Utrecht have found that the favourite hot drink enjoyed by millions of people worldwide is packed with health-boosting properties and mainly it has significant protective effects on the heart.

People who sip between three and six cups of tea each day are 45 per cent less likely to die from coronary problems compared with those who drink fewer than one a day. And, two to four cups of coffee a day may lower your risk of developing heart problems by 20 per cent, the study has found.

The humble cuppa contains flavonoids, which offer significant cardiovascular benefits - potentially saving many thousands of lives each year, say the researchers.

For the study, the researchers studied tea and coffee consumption among 37,514 people and monitored their health for 13 years, and found that those who drank about two large mugs of tea a day had their risk of suffering coronary problems slashed in half.

Responding to the findings Ellen Mason, senior cardiac nurse at British Heart Foundation, said, “This adds further weight to the evidence that drinking tea and coffee in moderation is not harmful for most people, and may even lower your risk of developing, or dying, from heart disease.

“However, leading a healthy overall lifestyle is the thing that really matters when it comes to keeping your heart in top condition.” Ellen Mason added.