Which of the two drinks, coffee or tea, is more beneficial for health? Both coffee and tea are reported to offer a number of benefits, such as increasing energy levels, reducing inflammation, and reducing the risk of heart disease. However, when it comes to the risk of stroke or heart attack, one seems to stand out.
An international study involving more than 25,000 people found that those who drank more than four cups of coffee a day had a nearly 40% increased risk of stroke. In contrast, drinking the same amount of tea reduces the risk of stroke by almost 20%. Although experts have long debated which of the two drinks offers more health benefits, this new study suggests that too much coffee may increase the risk of stroke, while the another effect of tea.
It increases the risk of heart problems
One explanation offered by researchers is that drinkers of coffee they can be more prone to heart problems, such as high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke. The study, published in July in the International Journal of Stroke, involved 26,950 adults from 32 countries, including the UK and Canada, almost half of whom were stroke survivors. recently.
Participants were recruited approximately two and a half days after having a stroke, with an average age of 61, most of them male and overweight, another risk factor for stroke. They filled out questionnaires about their medical history, diet, physical activity and other stroke risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure.
Participants were also asked about their daily consumption of coffee, Chinese/Japanese green tea, black tea, and other types of tea. About 20% of them did not drink any of the drinks, almost half of them were limited to tea only, and 15% only drank coffee and another 20% drank both drinks.
What happens if you drink four or more cups a day?
The study showed that people who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had a 37% increased risk of stroke. In contrast, the same consumption of tea reduced the risk of stroke by 19%. Black tea, such as Earl Gray and Breakfast Tea, reduced the risk of stroke by 29%, while green tea reduced the risk by 27%. No association was seen between drinking three or fewer cups of coffee a day and the risk of stroke.
The researchers noted that the negative effects of excessive coffee consumption it may be related to the fact that these people tend to have high blood pressure and heart rate. Coffee has a higher caffeine content than tea – around 80-100mg per 240ml cup, compared to just 50mg in tea. Caffeine stimulates the release of adrenaline, which increases heart rate and blood pressure, and in the long term these effects can damage blood vessels in the brain, promoting clots and increasing the risk of stroke.
If you put milk in your drink
Another interesting aspect of the study was related to the supplement milk in tea, which cancels out any benefits associated with reducing stroke risk. Although the research team did not look at the effect of sugar or other additives in coffee or tea, milk is believed to inhibit the activity of antioxidants – beneficial molecules that reduce inflammation and stroke risk.
The study has some limitations, however. The researchers acknowledged that there could be memory errors, as the participants were interviewed shortly after having a stroke. In addition, the majority of participants were from China and South Asia, regions where tea consumption is more common, which may introduce a degree of subjectivity into the findings.
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Editor: Raluca Toma
2024-10-04 06:06:37
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