The benefits of tea have been known for ages. It is considered soothing and contains helpful substances known to reduce inflammation. In recent good news to tea drinkers, a large study has associated the beverage with life longevity. Scientists from the US National Cancer Institute used a large database project that asked about the tea habits of nearly a half million adults in the United Kingdom, then followed them for up to 14 years. They adjusted for risk factors such as health, socioeconomics, smoking, alcohol intake, diet, age, race, and gender.
The study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, found the association held up for heart disease deaths, but there was no clear trend for cancer deaths. Higher tea intake, two or more cups daily, was linked to a modest benefit - nine per cent to 13 per cent lower risk of death from any cause vs non-tea drinkers. Tea temperature, or adding milk or sugar, did not change the results.
Maki Inoue-Choi, who led the study, said they weren’t sure why, but it’s possible there weren’t enough cancer deaths for any effect to show up. She said there’s not enough evidence advise changing tea habits. “If you drink one cup a day already, I think that is good. And please enjoy your cup of tea.”
