TWENTEA CUPPAS A WEEK TO LIVE LONGER

Drink can fight strokes & diabetes

PEOPLE should drink around 20 cups of tea per week in order to avoid serious health complications, – good news for a nation which already exceeds that amount.

A study has found it contains the compounds flavan-3-ols, which were linked to lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of heart problems, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

The findings were published in Nutrition and Food Technology and written by the Tea Advisory Panel. One of its authors Dr Tim Bond said: “The evidence for the health benefits of consuming tea flavonoids is great news.

“For the sake of our health, perhaps it’s time to add a target for flavonoids to the usual dietary guidelines.”

Dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton said: “This research reveals several health benefits for those who get a daily dose of flavonoids, including anti-diabetic effects, anti-inflammatory effects, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, preventing muscle loss and treating viral respiratory tract infections.”

Flavonoids are found in plants and are needed for their growth and development. They also tend to be responsible for the colour and add to the flavour of fruits, vegetables and other plants.

The new study suggests that, within the flavonoids group, it’s a sub-type called flavan-3-ols that we consume the most in our diets.

Dr Bond added: “Studies from the US suggest tea could be an important component of a healthy, balanced diet.

“Their figures show a stark difference in flavonoid intakes between tea drinkers, who are getting 698mg a day, compared with non-tea drinkers who only get 33mg a day.”

The study’s discovery comes after an expert group from the US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics said consuming more flavan-3-ols could be good for blood pressure, sugar levels, and cholesterol.

Experts advise us to include food items like tea and fruits in our meals. Apples, pears, and berries also have lots of flavan-3-ols. However, this new study has found tea has the most flavan-3-ols per 100g.

The directive is good news for the Irish, who already down an average of four to six cups a day, making us the second-biggest consumers of the drink in the world.

A 2019 survey compiled with data from the World Bank showed only the Turks drink more than us.

A study by Lyons found the average consumer here imbibes approximately 300 litres of tea per year, or up to five cups per day.

Because tea has half the caffeine content of coffee, as many as six cups of tea can be enjoyed per day while still maintaining a moderate

caffeine intake.