What’s the Best Way to Drink Tea for Heart Health?

Spill the Tea: Drinking tea has been linked to a range of health benefits, from weight management to better digestion — but one of the most widely touted perks is its potential to support heart health. Now, a recent study of nearly 500,000 participants has drilled down on which varieties may be best for vascular health — and how much we need to drink to experience the benefits. 

The Study: Researchers evaluated the tea-drinking habits of 485,934 people in China. Participants completed questionnaires about how much and what types of tea they drank, brewing strength, and temperature. Researchers then compared this information to cardiovascular data from the participants. 

The Takeaway: Regular tea drinkers had an 11% lower risk of developing vascular disease — including stroke and heart disease — than non-drinkers. Both black and green tea offered benefits. Steeping to moderate strength (stronger tea didn’t provide more benefit) and letting it cool to a moderate temperature were also linked to lower risk. The biggest benefits came from drinking 6 to 8 cups per day, but previous research found 1.5 to 2 cups daily also conveyed cardiovascular benefits. Adding a bunch of sweetener, however, could negate some of tea’s health benefits, experts said. 

Keep in Mind: The study was observational and didn’t prove tea prevents vascular disease.