Tea found to ward off heart disease by improving circulation
Research shows that high intake of tea is associated with a decreased risk of arterial stiffness, which is linked to several types of heart disease. Scientists from Taiwan investigated the relationship between tea consumption and arterial wall thickening in more than 3,000 subjects over a period of one year. They found that subjects who drank more than 450ml of tea per day, which is equivalent to 3 cups, had a 22 percent cut in measurements of arterial stiffness, which is a predictor of heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Flavonoids found in tea are thought to open up the blood vessels and reduce arterial stiffness by augmenting nitric oxide production. The results held true for all types of tea, including black and green.