Did you know that a cup of tea not only offers warmth during cold nights or the winter season but also lots of heart health benefits? In fact, drinking tea regularly may also protect against degenerative and other cardiovascular diseases. A Harvard Medicine School research discovered that the heart protection of tea might be coming from flavonoids.
Heart Attack Causes
Mayo Clinic stated that heart attack occurs when blood flow going to the heart is blocked due to the clogging of the arteries, which are often caused by cholesterol, fat and substance buildup.
Over time, it leads to the formation of plaques in the coronary arteries, which main role is feeding the heart. Eventually, they become narrow because of different substance formation, such as of cholesterol (coronary artery disease). When the plaque breaks away, it forms a clot that interrupts blood flow, eventually damaging or destroying a heart muscle – the main cause of a majority of heart attacks.
Coronary artery spasm is another cause of heart attack that happens when an artery stops the blood from flowing to a specific heart muscle.
Tea Properties That May Help Prevent Heart Attacks
Tea contains a host of antioxidant compounds, specifically epicatechins and catechins that can benefit the health, according to Brigham and Women’s Hospitals associate epidemiologist and Harvard Medical School associate professor of medicine, Howard Sesso. Both belong to the flavonoids family, a group of plant chemicals known for their anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent or reduce plaque formation in the coronary arteries.
Green tea, for example, is an excellent source to lower cholesterol levels – both LDL and serum cholesterol, based on a published study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2011). But for the biggest bad cholesterol level drop, most sources suggest drinking up to five cups daily.
Black tea has lower amounts of flavonoids than green tea, but both have lower levels of caffeine versus coffee. For example, a standard eight-ounce cup only contains up to 45 milligrams caffeine as compared to almost double its amount in the same coffee cup size.
Certain Teas Properties That May Help To Recover Health after Heart Attack
The HeartFoundation.org.au says that eating healthy foods can help you reduce your risk of more heart diseases as well as recovery from a heart attack. And eating healthy can be easier than you think it is. As a general rule of thumb, however, your diet must be low in saturated fat and salt if you’ve already had a heart attack.
When it comes to fluid intake, the organization suggests drinking water. To reduce your risk of heart attack or more episodes of it even further, you must drink at least three cups of green or black tea. Its flavonoids can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Drinking three standard cups daily is one of the best things you can do to take care of your heart and keep it away from cardiac diseases. Your heart will thank you for it.
Love your heart, drink tea, and reduce your risk of heart attacks. Make it your “daily tea” habit starting today!
Useful Links:
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/atrial-fibrillation/diet/teas-and-heart-health/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/brewing-evidence-for-teas-heart-benefits
- http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm
- https://www.today.com/series/one-small-thing/top-10-health-benefits-drinking-tea-t81111
*The content above is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
About the author:
Michael Austin is a blogger, personal finance enthusiast with slight “addiction” of planning and organizing whether it’s healthy lifestyle or just life in general. Evidence can be found as informative articles on sirjasonwinters.com where Michael is currently working as a content manager.
