6 to 8 Cups of Tea Daily May Reduce Heart Disease Risk by 11%

A recent study has found that drinking tea regularly may help lower the risk of heart disease and related conditions. Guido Mieth, Moment/Getty, reports that people who regularly consumed tea had an 11% lower risk of vascular disease, which includes stroke, heart attacks, and peripheral artery disease. Both black and green tea appeared to offer heart health benefits when consumed without added sugar.

The study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine on October 21, followed 485,934 people aged 30-79 for an average of 9 years.

Regular tea drinkers had a 37% lower risk of ischemic stroke and a 17% lower risk of heart attack compared to non-tea drinkers. The lowest overall vascular risk was seen among those who exercised and didn't smoke. However, the study did not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between tea consumption and reduced vascular disease risk, as it only showed an association. Drinking very hot tea was also linked to a 16% higher risk of vascular disease.

A cardiologist not involved in the study, Amit Blumfield, MD, emphasized that the findings should not be taken as a recommendation for daily tea intake. Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian, noted that the study had limitations, such as self-reported tea consumption and the possibility of other dietary and lifestyle factors influencing the results. Both experts advised enjoying tea's potential benefits by allowing it to cool to a comfortable drinking temperature and avoiding added sugars.