A cup of tea just got a little more relaxing.
Tea can be part of a healthy diet, and people who drink tea may even be slightly more likely to live longer than those who don’t, according to a large study.
Tea contains helpful substances known to reduce inflammation. Earlier studies in China and Japan, where green tea is popular, have suggested health benefits. The new study extends the good news to the UK’s favorite drink: black tea.
Scientists at the US National Cancer Institute asked about the tea habits of almost half a million adults in the UK and then followed them for 14 years. They adjusted for risk factors such as health, socioeconomics, smoking, alcohol use, diet, age, race, and gender.
Higher tea intake (two or more cups a day) was associated with a modest benefit: a 9% to 13% lower risk of death from any cause compared with non-tea drinkers. The temperature of the tea, or adding milk or sugar, did not change the results.
The study, posted on monday in Annals of Internal Medicine, found that the association held for deaths from heart disease, but there was no clear trend for deaths from cancer. The researchers weren’t sure why, but it’s possible that there weren’t enough cancer deaths for any effect to show up, said Maki Inoue-Choi, who led the study.
A study like this, based on observing people’s habits and health, cannot prove cause and effect.
“Observational studies like this always ask the question: Is there something else about tea drinkers that makes them healthier?” said Marion Nestle, a professor of food studies at New York University. “I like tea. It’s great to drink. But a cautious interpretation seems like a good idea.”
There isn’t enough evidence to advise changing tea habits, Inoue-Choi said.
“If you already drink a cup a day, I think that’s good,” he said. “And please enjoy your cup of tea.”
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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