Tea Advisory Panel

Heart Health

More and more evidence is being published in peer-reviewed journals linking tea to potential wellbeing benefits. An epidemiological study with the object of following the impact of diet and life-style choices on a group of people has shown an inverse correlation between tea consumption (compared to non-tea drinkers) and long-term health benefits.^1,2 The group of people followed here were 4,807 men and women 55 years old or over. The studies suggest a group of plant components called flavonoids could be the reason for these benefits.  Tea accounts for a major proportion of total flavonoid intake in a number of Western countries, including the UK.^3,4,5. While this study and others show positive trends not all studies do so⁶.  As a result, more work is needed to prove cause and effect in human populations and to understanding how flavonoids are having this effect.

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References:

¹ Geleijnse, J.M.; Launer, L.J.; Van der Kuip, D.A.; Hofman, A.; Witteman, J.C. Inverse association of tea and flavonoid intakes with incident myocardial infarction: The Rotterdam Study. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2002, 75, 880–886.
² Grassi, D.; Aggio, A.; Onori, L.; Croce, G.; Tiberti, S.; Ferri, C.; Ferri, L.; Desideri, G. Tea, flavonoids, and nitric oxide-mediated vascular reactivity. J. Nutr. 2008, 138, 1554S–1560S
³ Bravo, L. Polyphenols: Chemistry, dietary sources, metabolism, and nutritional significance. Nutr. Rev. 1998, 56, 317–333.
⁴ Geleijnse, J.M.; Launer, L.J.; Van der Kuip, D.A.; Hofman, A.; Witteman, J.C. Inverse association of tea and flavonoid intakes with incident myocardial infarction: The Rotterdam Study. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2002, 75, 880–886
⁵Vogiatzoglou A et al, PLoS One. 2015; 10(5): e0128132. Flavonoid intake in European Adults (18-64 Years) as further evidence of black tea being a major source of flavonoid polyphenols

⁶Grassi, D.; Aggio, A.; Onori, L.; Croce, G.; Tiberti, S.; Ferri, C.; Ferri, L.; Desideri, G. Tea, flavonoids, and nitric oxide-mediated vascular reactivity. J. Nutr. 2008, 138, 1554S–1560S