Tea Preparation Habits Linked to Heart Health, Study Finds

The way individuals prepare and consume tea, including the type of tea, its brewing strength, and how often it is drunk, can have significant impacts on heart health, according to a new study. Habitual tea drinkers showed a notably lower risk of all vascular diseases compared to those who infrequently consumed the beverage.

Researchers analyzed data from over 485,000 individuals aged 30 to 79, examining their tea-drinking habits. The study tracked participants' cardiovascular health over an average of nine years, documenting more than 14,800 cases of heart and blood vessel conditions such as heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, pulmonary heart disease, and peripheral artery disease.

The findings suggest that regular tea consumption is associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes. Those who drank six to eight cups of tea daily exhibited the lowest risk of vascular disease. While both black and green teas are derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, black tea demonstrated more consistent links to reduced health risks.

The difference in health associations between black and green tea is attributed to their post-harvest processing, with black tea undergoing oxidation and green tea being steamed or roasted. Experts note that both types can be part of a heart-healthy diet.

Optimal tea strength, determined by brew time, tea-to-water ratio, and water temperature, was also found to be important. Medium-strength teas were more closely linked to better health outcomes than weaker or stronger brews. The research also builds upon previous findings that advise against drinking tea at excessively high temperatures, as consuming “burning hot tea” was associated with a 16% increased risk of vascular disease.

Conversely, the study identified that the lowest risk of disease was observed in habitual tea drinkers who did not smoke and maintained physical activity. This group was found to be 46% less likely to develop vascular disease.

Tea has been consumed for millennia, partly due to its rich content of antioxidants like catechins and polyphenols. Catechins help limit cholesterol absorption, while polyphenols combat cellular damage, reduce inflammation, and can lower blood pressure. The amino acid L-theanine, also present in tea, is noted for its ability to enhance mental focus while promoting relaxation.

However, the addition of sugar to tea can diminish its health benefits. Some research indicates that milk, sugar, and honey can reduce the antioxidant activity of tea. The study's participants were all from China, the world's largest tea-consuming nation, raising questions about the direct applicability of these findings to populations with different consumption patterns, such as in the United States.