Polyphenol-Rich Black Tea Lowers Blood Pressure

PERTH, AustraliaIndividuals who drink three cups of black tea a day experience a 10% reduction the prevalence of high blood pressure and a 7% to 10% decrease in their risk for heart disease, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

For the study, 95 participants ages 35 to 75 were split into two groups. One group drank three cups of tea that contained 1,493 milligrams of powdered black tea solids with 429 milligrams of polyphenols and 96 grams of caffeine; the other group drank three cups that contained a placebo with the same taste and caffeine levels but no tea solids.

Over a 6-month follow-up, the researchers found that compared with the placebo, participants who drank black tea had a lower 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure of between 2 and 3 mmHg. They concluded the drop was due to the benefits of the teas antioxidants called polyphenols.

The researchers said the results could translate into a 10% drop in the prevalence of high blood pressure and a 7% to 10% decrease in heart disease risk. Other studies have found that polyphenols can reduce or even prevent some of the damage, including cancer and heart disease, caused by compounds known as free radicals.