Long-term tea consumption shown to loosen key arteries
In line with previous research on the relationship between tea consumption and cardiovascular health, a new study found that regular tea drinkers benefit from improved heart health. Medical doctors surveyed tea intake habits of over 5,000 people over 40 in China's Fujian province and found that increased duration and daily amounts of habitual tea consumption were associated with decreased arterial stiffness in the aorta and peripheral artery of the heart. The benefits were particularly pronounced for those who drank tea for more than 6 years and more than 10 grams per day, amount equivalent to 4 cups. Medics suspect that catechins abundant in tea help reduce arterial stiffness, which restricts blood flow and is a predictor of total mortality and future cardiovascular disease, including heart failure and stroke.