Need a reason to have another cup of tea? Here you are! A new research claims that three or more cups of tea a day protect against heart disease. And no, it doesn’t have to be green tea. Since the beneficial effect is attributed to flavonoids, a kind of antioxidant also known as vitamin P, black tea or even coffee will do the job just fine.
In addition here are some other great reasons to drink more tea:
- Drinking tea protects your arteries by influencing blood-clotting factors. Tea chemicals can prevent blood clotting, dissolve existing clots and decrease deposits of cholesterol in artery walls.
- Five cups of green tea a day can protect you from stroke. This was confirmed by a Japanese study of nearly 6,000 women. Women who drank at least five cups of tea a day were only half as likely to suffer a stroke as those who consumed less tea. It is interesting that this was also true for women with high salt intake, who typically have an increased risk of stroke.
- According to another Japanese study green tea can discourage ulcers.
- Both black and green tea have anti-cancer potential and yes, plain old Lipton or Twinings will do.
- Green tea is a great weight loss helper. According to some studies replacing other beverages with green tea can help you lose several pounds over two month period. You can find more details here – Green Tea for Weight Loss – Reap the Benefits.
Amazing health benefits of tea are mostly due to catechins, an antioxidant that was credited for its diverse pharmacological activity. Green tea is the highest in catechins, which makes it preferable to ordinary black tea.
There is something you should keep in mind though – disease is usually a multifunctional thing. Whether or not you get a health problem depends on many factors, such as your diet, how much exercise you do, your weight and your family history. These type of studies by no means imply that tea alone can save you from stroke and heart disease.