Hypertension or high blood pressure has been touted a 'silent epidemic', affecting countless people worldwide. In India, too, around 220 million people are living with the disease as per WHO data. One of the many factors affecting the disease is the kind of lifestyle and diet patterns that we follow. Blood pressure and heart health can easily be managed with the right kind of food and drinks included in our daily diet. Many a times, people wonder if coffee or green tea is better suited for managing hypertension and improving heart health. A recent study has offered some insights into this question.
The study was conducted by the JACC (Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk) and published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA). Around 18 thousand participants took part in the study that was conducted over a period of 12 years. The purpose of the study was to see how participant's coffee and green tea consumption habits affected their blood pressure and heart health.
The researchers noted that coffee contains 95 to 200 mg of caffeine while green tea contains 35mg. Thus, a single cup of coffee has approximately three times more caffeine than green tea. The study found that between coffee and green tea, the latter has proved more beneficial for hypertension and heart health. Coffee consumption actually proved harmful for those with high blood pressure. Green tea, thus, was the ideally preferred drink for better heart health. This is thanks to the polyphenols present in the drink that outweigh the harmful effects of caffeine.
"These beneficial effects of green tea catechins may partially explain why only coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk of mortality in people with severe hypertension despite both green tea and coffee containing caffeine," the authors wrote.
Amazing Health Benefits Of Green Tea | Green Tea Health Benefits
Green tea has time and again proven itself as a healthy concoction that has multiple benefits. Apart from the study's findings about green tea's impact on hypertension, there are plenty of health benefits that green tea has to offer.
Also Read: Start You Day With This Aromatic And Relaxing Rose Green Tea
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1. Boosts Immunity
Did you know that the humble green tea can help provide a boost to your immunity. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants that protect against cold, flu and cough. Thus, drink up the warming concoction whenever you have a sore throat.
2. Improves Brain Health
The catechin compounds in green tea may have a positive impact on neurological health, as experts have found. It may also help slow down or reverse the ageing process for the brain.
3. Aids Weight Loss
Green tea has been touted as a miracle potion for weight loss. Studies have shown that it increases metabolism and may have a positive impact on fat burning.
4. Reduces Bad Breath
This is one of the surprising benefits of green tea that not many people know of. Green tea can actually have a positive impact on oral health, thanks to the suppressing mechanism of bacterial growth.
5. May Prevent Diabetes
Not just for your weight, green tea may prove beneficial for diabetics too. Studies prove that green tea may improve insulin sensitivity and lower the risk of developing diabetes.
Surprising Health Benefits Of Coffee
Even though coffee has been associated with blood pressure and hypertension, there's another variety of coffee which actually has surprising health benefits. Green coffee beans are seeds of coffee fruits that are not roasted, unlike regular coffee. These have a higher amount of chlorogenic acid which is believed to have numerous health benefits, not limited to antioxidant properties. There are plenty of coffee recipes out there that you can try for multiple health benefits. Click here for the health benefits of coffee for weight loss, as well as some amazing coffee recipes.