Drinking regular cups of tea or coffee a day appears to protect against heart disease, suggests a 13-year-long study from the Netherlands.
The study in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds those who drank between two and four cups a day lowered the risk of the disease by 20%, adding to an ever increasing body of evidence that shows health benefits can be gained from the two most popular hot drinks.
The Dutch study of 40,000 people concluded that those who drank more than six cups of tea a day reduced their risk of heart disease by a third.
Drinking between two to four coffees a day was also shown to a reduced risk. The protective effects though appeared to cease with more than four cups of coffee a day, but even those who drank this much were no more likely to die of any cause, including stroke and cancer, than those who abstained.
The Dutch drink coffee with a small amount of milk and black tea without. There have been conflicting reports on whether milk affects the polyphenols, said to be the most beneficial ingredient in tea.
Coffee has properties which can in theory simultaneously increase and reduce risk - potentially raising cholesterol while battling the inflammatory damage associated with heart disease.
On a cautionary note those who have a cigarette with their drink will most likely cancel out any potential benefits.
The British Heart Foundation, say the study adds further weight to the evidence that drinking tea and coffee in moderation is not harmful for most people, and may even lower your risk of developing, or dying, from heart disease.
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