Tea Can 'Cut Cholesterol' And Reduce Risk of Heart Disease, Say Experts

Tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world after water, and has been drunk in the UK for more than 400 years. More than 80 percent of British people drink tea, and 165 million cups are consumed every day.

Dr Tim Bond and Dr Carrie Ruxton of the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) said there is a mounting body of evidence which shows that tea is a potent antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antihypertensive and cholesterol lowering properties and can even help weight loss.
 
In turn, a growing number of studies are finding trends in relation to tea reducing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and arthritis and obesity risk, as well as possessing protective properties against cancer.

 

Dr Bond said: “In particular, data pooled from one recent large super study consisting of 22 studies found that regular tea consumption reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 27 percent.”

 

“This work also showed that drinking three cups of black tea a day produced a significant reduction in unhealthy LDL cholesterol, systolic and both diastolic blood pressure.”

 

“Data pooled from the same study also suggests a reduced risk of suffering a stroke, or dying from stroke, by 21 percent.

 

A new Australian study has shown the consumption of three or more cups of black tea daily was associated with a 30 percent reduced risk of osteoporotic fracture.

 

The research, which involved 1188 women over 10-years, found that compared with the lowest tea intake category - one or fewer cups of tea each week - consumption of three or more cups of tea each day was associated with a statistically significant 30 per cent decrease in the risk of any osteoporotic fracture, possibly because of the presence of a flavanoids found in tea.

 

Dr Bond said: “Other work on green tea carried out on healthy participants has found that within just 30 minutes to one hour after drinking green tea the brain waves increased, indicating that green tea seems to have an important effect on cognitive function.”

 

Experts also argue that tea is good for your teeth – because of its fluoride content.

 

Professor Robin Seymour, a periodontologist and TAP advisor said: “A study recently published in Nutrition Bulletin, reviewed fluoride levels in standardized cups from 49 different tea bags including regular black tea, single estate, specialty and green tea.”

 

“The results showed that fluoride levels ranged from 0.72 to 1.68mg per serving which provides a quarter to half of the European Recommended Daily Allowance for fluoride for a typical mug of tea.”
 
“Tea is a natural source of fluoride as the tea plant absorbs fluoride present in the soil of tea-producing countries. The level of fluoride in tea leaves will depend on where the tea is grown, with countries such as Kenya, being particularly good for fluoride-rich soils."
 
Green tea also appears to possess dental health benefits. A new lab study looked at the effects of green tea on tooth dentine – the second layer of the tooth that can become eroded.

 

Overall, after dentin samples had been submersed in green tea solution for up to 3 days, it was found that this helped to reduce the wear and roughness caused by dentin erosion.

 

Dr Bond concludes: “Drinking black, green, oolong and herbal tea infusions all tick a lot of boxes when it comes to our health from reducing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, arthritis and obesity risks to possessing protective properties against cancer, as well as oral health and hydration benefits.”

 

"So make tea a daily health choice alongside your five a day of fruit and vegetables.”