Black Tea for Vascular Health

Black Tea for Vascular Health

Drinking black tea daily is said to be beneficial for cardiovascular health.

A research team from Edith Cowan University in Australia conducted a study involving 881 women aged 78 to 82 to explore the benefits of black tea. The team investigated how often the participants consumed black tea and measured the degree of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) using side photographs of the participants' lumbar vertebrae. The results showed that those who drank 2 to 6 cups of black tea per day had an AAC occurrence rate that was at least 16% to 42% lower than those who did not drink any.

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What is Abdominal Aortic Calcification?

Abdominal aortic calcification refers to the excessive accumulation of calcium in the abdominal aorta, which is located in the center of the abdomen. When calcium accumulates on the vessel walls, blood supply can be obstructed, leading to the formation of blood clots. If these blood clots travel through the bloodstream and block the heart or brain vessels, they can cause heart disease, stroke, or dementia.

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Flavonoids

The research team indicated that the flavonoid components in black tea can reduce abdominal aortic calcification. Flavonoids are representative antioxidants that help prevent cellular damage and aging in the body. Besides black tea, they are also known to be abundant in strawberries, blueberries, unpeeled apples, garlic, and green tea. In fact, the research team found that individuals who consumed other flavonoid-rich foods, in addition to black tea, had an 11% lower occurrence rate of abdominal aortic calcification compared to those who did not consume such foods.

Dr. Benjamin Pamenter, the lead author of the study, stated, "Eating foods rich in flavonoids can prevent abdominal aortic calcification, which leads to vascular diseases. Those who typically do not drink tea should also consider drinking black tea for their health."

This study was recently published in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

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Source : https://health.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2022/11/23/2022112301849.html