Green Tea & Heart Disease

Heart disease kills one person every 27 minutes, and is the single leading cause of death in Australia. (1) The good news is that studies suggest green tea may actively reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke, and so including it into your daily routine is a proactive step you can take towards prevention . (2)

WHAT IS HEART DISEASE?

Coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as ischaemic heart disease, is the most common form of cardiovascular disease. Its two major clinical forms are heart attack and angina (chest pain / tightness). (3)

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?

Risk factors include:

* high blood pressure

* high cholesterol

* overweight and obesity

* physical inactivity

* low fruit and vegetable intake

* alcohol, and

* smoking

9 in 10 adult Australians have at least one risk factor for CVD and one in four (25%) have three or more risk factors.

HOW CAN GREEN TEA HELP?

Evidence suggests that the powerful antioxidants found in green tea may actively protect the heart. (4)

“Drinking green tea boosts the health of blood vessels in minutes.” (4)

Researchers writing in the latest issue of the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation have found that people who drink green tea have better blood vessel function just 30 minutes later. (4)

CHOLESTEROL

Recent studies have found that in people at risk for coronary disease, tea and its flavonoids can have a significant cholesterol lowering effect. High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and can lead to a build up of plaque in the artery walls and narrow the arteries. (5)

HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE)

Drinking tea regularly may help prevent hypertension. One study examined the effect of drinking tea on the risk of developing hypertension in 1507 subjects with no previous history of the condition. Researchers found that the risk of hypertension decreased by 46 percent for the 600 subjects in the study who consumed 120 ml or more of tea per day for at least a year. (5)

HEART ATTACKS

Daily tea consumption has been shown to lower the risk of having a heart attack and to improve the likelihood of surviving after having a heart attack. (5)

ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

Additionally, green tea improves the function of the endothelial cells. The dysfunction of endothelial cells plays a major role in the process of clogged arteries, referred to as “atherosclerosis”. (4)

One Harvard study examined 1,900 people and found that those who consumed tea during the year prior to having a heart attack fared far better in the three to four years following the attack. Individuals who drank more than 14 cups of tea per week had a 44% reduced death rate compared to non-tea drinkers! (6)

So, it seems the evidence is clear that including green tea into your daily routine is a great way to prevent heart disease, especially when this practice is combined with lowering of the risk factors.

Green Tea in 3 Seconds is the fastest and easiest way to get a measured dose of green tea antioxidants daily (265mg / sachet to be precise), and we would recommend 2-3 sachets/day for the best amount of green tea antioxidants.