Wellness

Drinking Tea Every Day May Slow Aging—Study Finds 3 Cups a Day Is the Sweet Spot

New research reveals how daily tea consumption can help slow biological aging and boost health

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Tea is perfect for curling up with a book, boosting energy in the morning or enjoying a soothing sip throughout the day. It’s also a beverage that’s good for you! Tea has many health benefits, plus there’s no harm in drinking it daily. In fact, a new study reveals that drinking tea every day can slow down biological aging, which is great news for tea lovers! Keep reading to discover the study results and tea’s health benefits.

How drinking tea every day slows biological aging

While everyone ages at the same time chronologically, new research has found that certain lifestyle habits (like drinking tea) help slow down the biological aging process. The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health journal, examines daily tea consumption with biological aging.

The research team, based at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, look at the tea habits of two different groups of tea lovers: 5,998 British participants aged 37 to 73 and 7,931 Chinese individuals aged 30 to 79. 

Both cohorts were asked about their tea habits and the British participants were asked the question, “How many cups of tea do you drink a day?” (This included black and green tea.) The China Multi-Ethnic Cohort went into more detail and asked participants about their tea consumption status, what kind of tea they drink, current frequency, and the amount consumed per day. 

During the study, participants were divided into four categories based on their change in tea consumption status between the baseline and first follow-up surveys: “consistent nondrinking, nondrinking to drinking, drinking to nondrinking, and consistent drinking.”

What the study found about drinking tea every day

 

While drinking even one cup of tea daily has health benefits, researchers found that three cups or between six and eight grams of tea leaves was the magic number to slow down biological aging. They noticed the most significant difference in transitioning from nondrinking to tea-drinking, as this was “associated with decreased biological aging acceleration.”

“Tea contains a variety of bioactive substances, especially polyphenols. It has been found that polyphenols can exert anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic effects, as well as modulate epigenetic changes, thereby may delay the aging process,” the authors of the study wrote.

Additionally, more studies show that tea consumption may protect against age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, dementia, some types of cancer, and a lower mortality risk.

The benefits of polyphenols

Polyphenols, natural plant compounds found in tea leaves, are part of the reason tea is so good for you. Typically, green tea has the most polyphenols and it’s often used to boost your metabolism and protect your heart. Conversely, the polyphenols in black tea can give you more energy, protect your memory and steady your blood sugar. Other teas, such as white, yerba mate, or oolong are all helpful for weight loss or bloating relief. 

Polyphenols are also found in a variety of foods and drinks, including fruits (like berries and apples), vegetables (such as spinach and onions), nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, coffee, cocoa and extra-virgin olive oil.

Often, they act as antioxidants, meaning they can neutralize free radicals that would otherwise harm your cells. Some benefits of polyphenols include:

  • They lower blood sugar levels
  • They reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
  • They protect against some cancers
  • They prevent blood clots
  • They help with digestion
  • They improve brain function

Tea consumption for your health

Woman pouring green tea
Elena Fedorina

While the study looked at overall tea consumption, it’s important to note that the variety of tea you drink doesn’t affect aging. Whether you prefer black or green, you can still reap the benefits of daily consumption. 

The only catch is that you have to drink tea every day. If you stop drinking tea or don’t partake as consistently, your biological aging process is likely to accelerate.

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.

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