Whether its green tea or black tea, chamomile or Oolong - tea is a beverage which enjoys a unique fan following across the world. A simple cup of tea can work wonders to refresh you from within. All it takes to revitalise your senses is just one sip of tea. Green tea is one such recipe which has countless benefits for the body. Studies have proven time and again that drinking green tea in small quantities may help manage diabetes and alleviate stress. And now, a new study by University of California, Irvine has shown that green and even black tea may also help reduce high blood pressure and thus contribute towards good heart health.
The study was published in the journal Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, led by Geoffrey Abbott, a professor at the UCI School of medicine. The research shows that certain compounds called 'catechins' in both green and black tea help in relaxing blood vessels through activation of ion channel proteins. According to the study, it had earlier been demonstrated that consumption of green or black tea can reduce blood pressure by a small but consistent amount, and catechins were previously found to contribute to this property. However, the exact compound has now been identified.
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Black tea is also said to reduce blood pressure.
These anti-hypertensive properties of green and black tea could help in the creation of new blood-pressure lowering medicines. The authors of the study state that hypertension is a condition which is becoming increasingly common among adults across the world, which is why their research could be significant in the coming years. "Because as many as one third of the world's adult population have hypertension, and this condition is considered to be the number one modifiable risk factor for global cardiovascular disease and premature mortality, new approaches to treating hypertension have enormous potential to improve global public health," reads the study.
So, what is the best way to absorb the benefits of green and black tea for good heart health? Experts suggest the anti-hypertensive properties can be reaped irrespective of how the beverage is consumed. Whether you have it with milk or without, cold or hot, the benefits of green and black tea are immense. "Regardless of whether tea is consumed iced or hot, this temperature is achieved after tea is drunk, as human body temperature is about 37 degrees Celsius," explained Abbott. "Thus, simply by drinking tea we activate its beneficial, antihypertensive properties."
So, drink up your favourite cup of tea and imbibe its benefits for good health!