Three cheers to TEA: 3 cups can prevent heart attack & diabetes

Report By: Nina Rai

London, 18th Feb, 2012

Here is a great piece of news to thrill all tea-drinkers as also inspire other non-tea drinkers to start drinking it and even raise a toast of 3 cheers to it.

Researchers have found that drinking only 3 cups of tea per day will go a long way in preventing heart attacks and protecting against type 2 - diabetes.

A review indicates that drinking black tea daily with or without diluting it in milk can minimize the risk of heart problems. This it does so by removing levels of bad cholesterol and blood sugar.

According to researchers the advantages of tea is largely due to the fact that it is packed with flavonoids – the antioxidants that protects against cardiovascular disease.

It may be noted that tea is not the only source of antioxidant in the form of flavonoids which controls inflammation, reduces blood clotting, improves blood vessel function and even prevents arteries from furring up.

However tea is considered one of the best sources. Statistically nearly 80% of the Brits are known to be tea drinkers with 165 million cups being partaken on a daily basis.

Check these facts: 1 cup of tea contains 150-200mg of flavonoids, making it the best source of antioxidants in the British diet. Just two cups of tea delivers the same benefits as 5 portions of veggies.

Consuming three or more cups of black tea per day is a safeguard against heart disease and two or more cups a day may safeguard against type 2 diabetes. This is the findings of a review in the journal Nutrition Bulletin.

Moreover, a 12-week study conducted with 87 volunteers found that drinking three cups of tea a day resulted in significant improvement in different cardiovascular risk factors.

Nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton is the co-author of the review and also is a member of the industry-backed Tea Advisory Panel (TAP). According to him there is much more to Britain’s favourite drink than anyone realizes.

'With its antioxidant flavonoids, black tea packs a powerful punch with many health benefits particularly for the heart. And recent studies show that the flavonoids work their magic whether or not we choose to add milk,' informs Dr. Ruxton.

Another member of TAP Dr Tim Bond opines that black tea flavonoids are regarded as the compounds responsible for the safeguarding impact of black tea on human health.

According to Dr. Bond heart disease, stroke and diabetes chronic in nature are linked with inflammatory processes and the presence of too much pro-oxidant free radical in the body.

'The proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of black tea flavonoids may therefore be responsible for the positive health effects of black tea,' informs Dr. Bond.

Source: Daily Mail

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