Why a daily cuppa is good for heart... as long as it’s builder’s

JUST one cup of tea a day could help lower your blood pressure – but only if it’s brewed strong.

Scientists found that people who have a diet rich in flavanol – a nutrient found in tea, as well as apples and red wine – have healthier blood pressure levels and a lower risk of heart disease.

Strong tea is the best, scientists say, with one or two cups a day providing enough of the nutrient.

In a study of 25,000 people, researchers from Cambridge, Reading and California universities discovered that the difference in blood pressure between those with the lowest 10 per cent of flavanol intake and those with the highest 10 per cent was two to four units.

This is a similar change seen among those following a Mediterranean diet or special low blood pressure diet.

Lead author Professor Gunter Kuhnle, of the University of Reading, said: ‘The main source in the UK diet is tea.

‘Green tea has very high amounts, as does black tea. The problem is that people take their tea very differently. Some dip the bag in quickly and take it out again, whereas some leave it in the cup for hours. That makes a huge difference in the flavanol content.’

He added: ‘If you had a very strong tea, one or two cups per day would be enough. But if you have a weak tea, you would need ten or 12 cups.’

Urine samples were taken to estimate each participant’s flavanol levels and were then compared to their blood pressure.

The researchers suggested that if the general public increased their flavanol intake there could be an overall reduction in cases of cardiovascular disease.

Dr Ian Johnson, nutrition researcher at the Quadram Institute in Norwich, said: ‘The authors have been able to show that systolic blood pressure was lower in participants consuming the highest quantities of flavonoids, compared to those consuming the lowest.’

The study is published in the Scientific Reports journal.