But researchers are now shedding light on exactly how your tea preparation plays a role in health, particularly for your heart and blood vessels.<\/p>\n
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How you take your tea may play a role in your heart health. Rawpixel.com \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Researchers looked at data<\/a> from over 485,000 people aged 30 to 79 to analyze their tea-drinking habits, including how often they drank tea, tea type, strength and temperature.<\/p>\n During an average nine-year follow-up, researchers tracked participants\u2019 cardiovascular health, examining over 14,800 heart and blood vessel cases, including heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, pulmonary heart disease and peripheral artery disease.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what they found.<\/p>\n What research says about the best way to prepare your tea<\/p>\n Habitual tea drinkers had a 12% lower risk of all vascular disease compared to infrequent drinkers, with cardiovascular risks decreasing further as consumption increases. <\/p>\n The lowest risk was seen among those drinking six to eight cups a day.<\/p>\n The kind of tea also made a difference. <\/p>\n While black and green tea come from the same Camellia sinensis plant, black tea showed more consistent associations with lower health risks. The difference stems from post-harvest preparation, in which green tea is steamed or roasted, while black tea is oxidized in the air.<\/p>\n \u201cI would not advise someone who enjoys green tea to switch to black tea or vice versa,\u201d Dr. Leana Wen told CNN<\/a>. \u201cBoth can be part of a heart-healthy diet.\u201d<\/p>\n When it comes to tea strength \u2014 which is determined by brew time, the tea-to-water ratio and water temperature \u2014 balance is key. Medium-strength tea was more closely associated with better health than either weaker or stronger brews.<\/p>\n Speaking of temperature, this research builds on previous research<\/a> advising drinkers to let their tea cool down before consuming it. Drinking \u201cburning hot tea\u201d was associated with a 16% higher risk of vascular disease.<\/p>\n Conversely, the lowest risk of disease was seen among habitual tea drinkers who didn\u2019t smoke and remained physically active. This group was 46% less likely to develop vascular disease.<\/p>\n Why is tea so good for you?<\/p>\n Tea has been consumed for over 2,000 years<\/a> for good reason.<\/p>\n The tea plant is packed<\/a> with catechins, which are antioxidants that limit how much cholesterol the body absorbs and help the liver clear cholesterol<\/a> from the bloodstream. Preventing this cholesterol buildup is critical, as it can otherwise form clots and ruptures that lead to heart attacks or strokes.<\/p>\n Tea also has polyphenols, another type of antioxidant that fights daily cellular wear and tear, reduces inflammation and helps lower blood pressure.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also L-theanine, an amino acid that anti-aging guru Dr. Nicholas Perricone<\/a>\u00a0says sharpens mental focus while keeping the mind relaxed.<\/p>\n However, research shows that adding sugar can hurt these health benefits<\/a>. One study demonstrated that milk, sugar and honey all lowered the antioxidant activity<\/a> of tea in mice.<\/p>\n And because tea drinking varies widely around the world, geographic context matters.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/woman-pouring-tea-cup-cafe-146196190-edited.jpg\")
Black tea had more consistent associations with lower health risk compared to green tea. antgor \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n