AsianScientist (Jan. 25, 2012) – A cup of tea everyday may reduce your blood pressure and lower the risk of getting heart disease, researchers say.
Tea, as the world second-most favorite beverage after water, is thought to be beneficial for human health. A research team, led by Professor Jonathan Hodgson of University of Western Australia, has demonstrated that tea directly modulates a major risk factor for heart disease – high blood pressure.
In their study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 95 Australian participants aged between 35 and 75 were recruited to drink either three cups of black tea or a placebo with the same flavor and caffeine content, but not derived from tea.
After six months, the researchers found that compared with the placebo, participants who drank black tea had a lower 24 hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure of between 2 and 3 mmHg.
“There is already mounting evidence that tea is good for your heart health, but this is an important discovery because it demonstrates a link between tea and a major risk factor for heart disease,” Prof. Hodson said.
Despite earlier studies reporting a link between tea drinking and improved blood vessel health, Prof. Hodson pointed out that more research is required to better understand how tea may reduce blood pressure.
The article can be found at: .
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Source: University of Western Australia.
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