One cup of tea a day would be beneficial for the heart. Fans of this hot drink are less at risk of heart attack.
Green, black, sweet or lemon… Tea can be enjoyed in many forms. Fans of this drink have much to be happy about: it is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events.
A study from Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Maryland, United States), presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Heart Association, delivers results that should push the most reluctant to sip at least one cup a day.
Among the 6,000 men and women who took part in this work, tea drinkers were the least likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems. From one cup a day, their risk of a heart attack or other incident was reduced by 35%. The benefit is even more marked with three cups. Few were those who carried their zeal beyond.
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How to explain this phenomenon ? This is an observational study, so the link cannot be demonstrated. But researchers have observed less calcium plaque deposition in patients’ coronary arteries. This marker is precisely associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke.
As for the mechanism, previous research has suggested that flavonoids, chemical compounds especially found in tea leaves, have a beneficial effect on the heart. The work does not specify which black tea or green tea is more beneficial. Either way, this low calorie drink is still more beneficial than soda.
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