“After water, tea is the second most commonly consumed beverage in the world.”
– Dr. Tim Bond, of the Tea Advisory Panel.
So how many benefits could there be in drinking cups of tea? In this article, we will be presenting you with the studies, evidence, and facts so that you can decide.
Behind Turkey and Ireland, the British are one of the largest tea consumers in the world. With each person consuming on average 1.9 kg per year and almost 1500 different kinds in Britain, there’s a brew for everybody. But should we be worried about these drinking habits? Are 6, 7, or even 8 cups too many? Or should we only be thinking, “whose round is it next?”
Type Two Diabetes – Prevention
Recent studies have found that drinking tea daily could be helping prevent your risk of type two diabetes. How? It helps to smooth out spikes in blood sugar levels. Full of polyphenols, experts believe that these powerful compounds block the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
In particular, a study conducted in Japan found that people who drank 6 or more cups of green tea a day were 33% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who drank less than a cup of green tea a week. Could it be a cup of green tea that keeps the doctor away?
Dementia – Reducing The Risks
According to research from the National University of Singapore, cuppas have both long term and short term benefits. Short-term we’re helping our blood sugar levels, and longer-term we’re helping our brains. Singaporean researchers followed 957 older adults for a longitudinal ageing study that lasted 5 years. The average age for this sample was 65, and of these 957, 69% drank a cup on a frequent basis. No matter what tea you’re drinking, the research found the risk of cognitive impairment in older people can be reduced by up to 50%. And in those who were genetically at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the risk was reduced by 86% – consistent with earlier findings that showed consumers scored higher on various cognitive tests.
Reducing The Risks Of Heart Attack And Stroke
A separate study commissioned by the TAP (Tea Advisory Panel) suggests four to five cups of tea a day lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
TAP’s commissioned study is based on a review of data from 23 randomised controlled trials and 19 meta-analysis papers which found benefits surrounding four key areas: blood pressure, cholesterol, cardiovascular function, and inflammation.
Facts:
- Three cups a day for six months reduces both blood pressure readings by 2 to 3 mmHg and lowers overnight blood pressure by 10%
- Drinking a cuppa with breakfast prevents a spike in triglyceride levels over the next three hours
- Drinking one to three cups of green tea a day reduces the risk of stroke by 36% and the odds of having a heart attack by 19%
- One cup of green tea a day lowers the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease by 5%
With cardiovascular disease killing 150,000 people a year in the UK, someone put the kettle on!
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 8th November 2021 to reflect current information.
