Drinking black tea every day can make you live longer, according to a study recently published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Black tea, like green tea , comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Both drinks are rich in polyphenols, compounds that would be the key component for tea to be a healthy drink. Green tea is richer in epigallocatechin-3 gallate, while black tea is richer in theaflavins.
Previous research in observational studies has found that tea consumption of 2 to 3 cups daily is associated with a reduced risk of premature death, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
To see if there is a similar link between black tea and mortality risk, scientists at the US National Cancer Institute evaluated data from nearly 500 000 UK Biobank participants. Participants were followed for an average of 11.2 years.
The new study found that drinking two or more cups of black tea a day was associated with a 9 to 13 percent lower mortality risk compared with people who did not consume tea.
Harvard Nutrition Source notes that some research suggests that protein and possibly milk fat may reduce the antioxidant capacity of tea, since flavonoids are “deactivated” when bound to protein. However, the temperature of the tea, adding milk or sugar, did not change the results.
According to the report of the study, these findings suggest that tea, even at higher levels of intake, can be part of a healthy diet.
The study was observational in nature, in which habits and people’s health, cannot prove cause and effect. Randomized clinical trials are needed to show that black tea consumption causes lower mortality.
Regarding healthy tea consumption, Harvard recommends avoiding buying expensive bottled teas or teas from stores that contain added sweeteners . “To enjoy the maximum benefits of drinking tea, consider making your own at home. You can serve it hot or make a pitcher of homemade iced tea during the warmer months.”
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