Daily Cup of Tea May Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
People who consume a high level of flavonoids—naturally occurring substances found in many common foods and drinks such as black and green tea—could be reducing their risk of heart disease and enjoying better health late in life. Flavonoids’ health benefits, particularly their effects on inflammation and oxidative stress, are well documented. However, a new study by Edith Cowan University (ECU) shows that they may be even better for us than previously thought. Published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in Nov. 2022, the study analysed 881 women with a median age of 80 with black tea as the study’s main source of flavonoids. The researchers discovered that the women who drank two to six cups per day had a 16-42 percent less chance of having calcium build up in the abdominal aorta, the main artery in the body that delivers blood from the heart to the organs and limbs. This calcium build-up—known as abdominal aortic calcification—has been found to be a reliable predictor for heart attacks, strokes, and dementia. Sharing a cup of tea is the answer to everything. (Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock) The good news for non-tea drinkers is that there are also other sources of flavonoids, such as fruits—particularly apples, citrus, and berries, as well as vegetables, dark chocolate, and nuts. “Out of the women who don’t drink black tea, higher total non-tea flavonoid intake also appears to protect against extensive calcification of the arteries,” ECU Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute researcher and study lead Ben Parmenter said. “This implies flavonoids from sources other than black tea may be protective against abdominal aorta calcification when tea is not consumed.” Limit to Two Servings Although flavonoids tout many benefits, a 23-year longitudinal study of 50,000 Danish people revealed that the positive effects plateaued at the consumption of about 500mg of flavonoids a day, roughly two cups of tea or two servings of fruit. Compounds present in black tea target oxidative stress which helps protect the body against chronic illness. (Ground Picture/Shutterstock) “[This is] a big study that allowed us to also look at dose-response relationships, which haven’t really been clear in previous studies,” ECU’s Prof. of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Jonathon Hodgson said. He says that flavonoids are also not a substitute for lifestyle changes. “Smokers with the highest flavonoid intake still probably had about a three to a four-fold higher risk of mortality compared to the non-smokers who had the lowest flavonoid on intake,” he said. Follow Jessie Zhang is a reporter based in Sydney covering Australian news, focusing on health and environment. Contact her at [email protected].
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People who consume a high level of flavonoids—naturally occurring substances found in many common foods and drinks such as black and green tea—could be reducing their risk of heart disease and enjoying better health late in life.
Flavonoids’ health benefits, particularly their effects on inflammation and oxidative stress, are well documented. However, a new study by Edith Cowan University (ECU) shows that they may be even better for us than previously thought.
Published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in Nov. 2022, the study analysed 881 women with a median age of 80 with black tea as the study’s main source of flavonoids.
The researchers discovered that the women who drank two to six cups per day had a 16-42 percent less chance of having calcium build up in the abdominal aorta, the main artery in the body that delivers blood from the heart to the organs and limbs.
This calcium build-up—known as abdominal aortic calcification—has been found to be a reliable predictor for heart attacks, strokes, and dementia.
The good news for non-tea drinkers is that there are also other sources of flavonoids, such as fruits—particularly apples, citrus, and berries, as well as vegetables, dark chocolate, and nuts.
“Out of the women who don’t drink black tea, higher total non-tea flavonoid intake also appears to protect against extensive calcification of the arteries,” ECU Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute researcher and study lead Ben Parmenter said.
“This implies flavonoids from sources other than black tea may be protective against abdominal aorta calcification when tea is not consumed.”
Limit to Two Servings
Although flavonoids tout many benefits, a 23-year longitudinal study of 50,000 Danish people revealed that the positive effects plateaued at the consumption of about 500mg of flavonoids a day, roughly two cups of tea or two servings of fruit.
“[This is] a big study that allowed us to also look at dose-response relationships, which haven’t really been clear in previous studies,” ECU’s Prof. of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Jonathon Hodgson said.
He says that flavonoids are also not a substitute for lifestyle changes.
“Smokers with the highest flavonoid intake still probably had about a three to a four-fold higher risk of mortality compared to the non-smokers who had the lowest flavonoid on intake,” he said.
