Many studies published in recent years have shown that tea plays a significant role in diabetes prevention and obesity, and also reduced the risk ofget lung cancer.
This time, the French Society of Cardiology, during its European Days, came to bring some more water to the mill of tea lovers by presenting a study which affirms that the high content of flavonoids in black tea and green tea has a particularly protective effect against cardiovascular illnesses. “But to benefit from this protective effect, you must drink at least 3 cups a day” said Anne-Marie Roussel, professor of biochemistry at the University Joseph Fourier in Grenoble. “And do not add sugar or milk, which has the effect of hampering its action on the body.”
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At least two studies report a decrease in strokes ranging from 13 to 23% in regular tea drinkers. But while these were almost exclusively epidemiological studies, researchers are now working on the mechanisms of action of the flavonoids contained in tea.
In a cup of tea there are about 200 mg of flavonoids. Most being released during the first minute of brewing. These flavonoids are thought to help maintain the health of endothelial cells, the cells that line the walls of blood vessels. This has the effect of reduce blood pressure and to protect the heart because “a dysfunction of the endothelial function is the first step of the process which leads to the cardiovascular accident, recalled the Pr Eric Bruckert, head of the service of endocrinology and prevention of the cardiovascular diseases at the hospital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris.
Thanks to the measurement of endothelial function, researchers have been able to show that certain foods allow an improvement of this function. “For fruits, vegetables and fish, the effects are weak, the improvement is more significant for cocoa or wine, but it is the tea which causes the most significant improvement” summarizes Professor Bruckert.
