Overview
- A Journal of Internal Medicine paper published Wednesday analyzed more than 485,000 Chinese adults followed for about nine years and recorded roughly 14,800 cases of vascular disease.
- People who reported drinking tea at least three days a week had an about 11% lower risk of vascular disease compared with less frequent drinkers after adjustment for common factors.
- Participants who said they drank tea at a “burning hot” temperature had about a 16% higher risk of vascular disease in the study.
- Black tea and moderate-strength brews showed the most consistent links with lower risk, and among weekly drinkers the lowest estimated risk occurred near six to eight cups per day before rising at very high intakes.
- The study is observational and limited by single baseline measures, self-reported temperature and cup counts, and a China-only sample, so experts advise avoiding scalding drinks, cutting added sugar and watching caffeine while awaiting replication.