Black Tea and Cardiovascular Disease
By Richard Shank
A new randomized trial, conducted by researchers at the University of L’Aquila in Italy, recently uncovered the potential that black tea can have on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This research is the first to show that black tea consumption can actually increase circulatory health.
Nineteen healthy men participated in this trial and were separated into groups that consumed one of five prescribed levels of black tea over a one-week period. One control group drank nothing, while the others consumed 100, 200, 400, or 800 mg of tea flavonoids per day. (An average cup of tea contains about 100 to 200 flavonoids per serving.) Participants’ diets were controlled in order to avoid other flavonoid-rich foods, such as red wine and chocolate.
Flavonoids are thought to be good for reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer because of their antioxidant properties that can remove or prevent free radical production which damages cells and speeds up their death.
In trials of other flavonoid-rich foods, researchers have found that they potentially protect against CVD, and research covering the health benefits of red wine and dark chocolate have been widely reported in the news. However, prior to this time, no study had been done to effectively outline the particular dosages of black tea that could impact the disease.
This study outlines the effects of different doses of black tea on vascular function, blood pressure, and insulin resistance, finding that increased amounts can provide an escalating reduction to CVD risk, even in a dose as small as 100 mg. These findings suggest that the common serving of black tea contains enough flavonoids to provide beneficial results.
Source: Grassi, D., Mulder, T., Drailjer, R., et al. 2009. Black tea consumption dependently improves flow-mediated dilation in healthy males. Journal of Hypertension: 27(4): 774-781.
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