A study from The University of Western Australia suggests that drinking three cups of black tea a day might help reduce blood pressure, which is an important step in improving heart health.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk of heart disease, one of the leading causes of illness and death worldwide. This finding adds to growing evidence that tea can be good for the heart, particularly by targeting a key risk factor for heart disease.
In this study, researchers focused on 95 Australian adults aged 35 to 75. Participants were divided into two groups.
One group drank three cups of black tea daily, while the other drank a placebo that tasted similar and had the same amount of caffeine but was not made from tea. This way, researchers could isolate the effects of black tea itself.
After six months, the researchers measured the blood pressure of the participants. They found that those who drank black tea had slightly lower blood pressure compared to the placebo group.
On average, their systolic blood pressure dropped by 2 to 3 millimeters of mercury (mmHg), and their diastolic blood pressure also showed similar reductions.
To understand what this means, it helps to know how blood pressure is measured. Blood pressure readings have two numbers. The first, called systolic pressure, measures how hard the heart pumps blood through the body during each beat.
The second, diastolic pressure, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats. Even small reductions in these numbers can have a significant impact on heart health over time.
The study highlights the potential role of black tea in keeping blood vessels healthy. Previous research has shown that certain compounds in tea, such as flavonoids, might improve the function of blood vessels and support overall cardiovascular health.
However, the exact way tea reduces blood pressure is not yet fully understood. The researchers emphasize that more studies are needed to explore the mechanisms behind this effect.
This research is an important step in showing how everyday beverages like black tea can play a role in improving health. It also provides a simple and accessible way for people to make small changes that could benefit their hearts.
While black tea alone is not a cure for high blood pressure, it could be part of a larger strategy that includes eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and managing stress.
The study was led by Jonathan Hodgson and his team and was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It offers a promising look at how natural and widely consumed drinks like tea can contribute to better health.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and people with severe high blood pressure should reduce coffee intake.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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