Tea Reduces Risk of Strokes
The results of the study show that drinking three cups a day of either green or black tea reduces your risk of stroke by 21%. And the more, the better: drinking six cups a day reduces your risk by 42%. This is an amazing finding, since there are very few known ways to reduce the risk of stroke. From the article:
The more you drink, the better your odds of staving off a stroke, the professor added.
“That’s why these findings are so exciting,” Professor Arab said. “If we can find a way to prevent the stroke, or prevent the damage, that is simple and not toxic, that would be a great advance.”
Dr. Sadat Shamim, a neurologist at Baylor University Medical Centre in Dallas, added: “We’re getting more hard proof that this does change things, and it does reduce the risk.”
Researchers say it appears black tea and green tea have similar beneficial effects and are effective because they contain cell protecting anti-oxidants., which are usually associated with fruit and vegetables and red wine.
“Right now, we believe that it’s the antioxidants that are in the tea,” Dr Shamim said.
They did not test white or Oolong teas, but the effect seems to come from the Camellia sinensis plant, which mean herbal teas won’t have the same benefit (they are not true teas). White teas might make an interesting next test, since they contain a higher amount of antioxidants than other teas.
The evidence of substantial health benefits from drinking tea continues to mount. Keep an eye on our Tea and Your Health section of the blog for the latest studies on tea’s benefits.