Tea and Coffee Promote Heart Health

Teas and coffees both have high antioxidant profiles, with the former rich in flavonoids and the latter in phenolic compounds.  YvonneT.  van der Schouw, from the University Medical Center Utrecht (The Netherlands), and colleagues studied beverage habits of 37,514 participants of the Dutch cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), collecting data on the incidence of cardiovascular events during the 13-year long study period,  The team calculated that between three and six cups of tea a day may reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 45%, as compared to those people who drank one cup or less per day. Additionally, they found that between two and four cups of coffee daily yielded a 20% lower risk, compared to those who drank less than two or more than four cups daily. The researchers conclude that: “High tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of [coronary heart disease] mortality. Our results suggest a slight risk reduction for [coronary heart disease] mortality with moderate coffee consumption and strengthen the evidence on the lower risk of [coronary heart disease] with coffee and tea consumption.”