Drinking just 2 cups of black tea a day may lower mortality risk: Study

Drinking two or more cups of black tea a day is associated with lower risk of death from all causes, according to a study published Monday.

The study was conducted by the National Cancer Institute in the US, using data from UK Biobank and published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

The study looked at nearly 500,000 men and women ages 40 to 69 years old who participated in the UK Biobank, which houses in-depth genetic and health information, between 2006 and 2010.

The database included information participants reported about their own tea drinking habits, such as frequency and what they added to their cup, according to the study.

Researchers found that people who drank two or more cups of tea daily in the interim were less likely to have died from causes such as cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease and stroke, according to the study.

Both black and green teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Researchers have long studied the health benefits of different teas. Some suggest that green tea has greater health benefits, while others advocate the health-giving qualities of black tea.

Observational studies, like one from 2013, suggest that it could slow the growth of precancerous legions, while a 2014 study found that green tea consumption is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.

002