Tea, Milk and Heart Health
A recent small study discovered that black tea increased the
ability of heart arteries to relax and expand to accommodate
increased blood flow. WLR Dietitian Juliette Kellow comments on
the heart health benefits of black tea.
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Is Black Tea Better for Your Heart?
By WLR Dietitian
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This January, the papers reported on a piece of research that
suggested adding milk to black tea wipes out all the heart
health benefits.
The study, published on an online version of the European
Heart Journal, included 16 female volunteers, who consumed 500ml
of freshly brewed black tea, tea with skimmed milk or boiled
water. The scientists then measured blood flow in the arteries.
The scientists discovered that black tea increased the
ability of the arteries to relax and expand to accommodate
increased blood flow. However, the addition of milk appeared to
prevent this effect. The researchers suggest that regular tea
drinkers should go without milk occasionally to reap the health
benefits.
WLR says:
This is a really small study and a lot more research needs to
be carried out before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
Many studies have shown that tea helps to protect against
heart disease thanks to it containing a group of flavonoids
called catechins. These act as powerful antioxidants and so help
to prevent damage from free radicals.
The question of whether the addition of milk to tea affects
these heart-healthy benefits often hits the headlines, with some
studies, such as this one, suggesting that milk wipes out the
health benefits, and others showing that it has no effect.
It’s worth remembering that milk itself contains
health-promoting nutrients, especially calcium, and for many
people, drinking tea is one of the few ways in which they
consume milk.
Perhaps the most sensible advice comes from June Davison,
Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation. She says,
“Leaving milk out of your tea is far less likely to help protect
your heart health than other measures such as taking regular
exercise, avoiding smoking and eating a healthy, balanced diet.”
More Information
www.bhf.org.uk For more
than 40 years, the British Heart Foundation has been at the
forefront of the fight against heart disease, funding research,
education, care and more.
www.heartuk.org.uk A
charity providing some information for patients about coronary
heart disease. Emphasis on cholesterol and lipids. |
