Green & Oolong Tea Reduces Risk of Hypertension

Consumption of 4 ounces per day or more of green or oolong tea in moderate strength for one year significantly reduces the risk of developing hypertension, according to results from an epidemiologic study published in the July 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Tea contains more than 4000 chemical compounds that may affect the human body in many aspects.

To examine the long-term effects of tea drinking on the risk of newly diagnosed hypertension, the investigators recruited 1,507 subjects aged 20 years and older with no history of the disease. Of these, 600 subjects (39.8%) were habitual tea drinkers, consuming 4 ounces per day or more for at least one year.

Subjects who drank 4 ounces to 20 ounces of tea per day showed a 46% decrease in risk of developing hypertension compared with non-habitual drinkers. The risk further decreased by 65% in those 20 ounces or more of tea each day.

Results adjusted using five lifestyle factors (total physical activity, high sodium intake, smoking, alcohol intake, and coffee intake), seven dietary factors (vegetable, fruit, unrefined grain, fish, milk, food with visible fat, and deep-fried food intake), and traditional risk factors for hypertension (age, sex, family history, body mass index, waist-hip circumference ratio, and socioeconomic index).

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