Drink green tea for a healthy heart, scientists suggest

 Many studies have suggested that you should drink green tea for a healthy heart. With its well-documented health benefits, green tea is more than just a refreshment. A great many studies in different parts of the world have investigated possible links between green tea and cardiovascular disease.

A recent study in Japan found that a few cups of green tea each day may lower the risk of heart disease or stroke.

The National Cancer Center in Japan reported on May, 2015 that a study of 90,000 adults aged 40-69 years suggests that regular consumption of green tea may lower the risk of dying from heart or cerebrovascular diseases.Tea - originating in China remains the most consumed beverage in the world after water. The history of tea dates back more than 4,000 years. The most important book on tea was written in China in 600 AD. The book titled Cha Jing (Tea Classic), written by Lu Yu remains an important document for an insight into the country which introduced tea to the world. In 1191, Zen priest Eisai wrote a book called Kissa Yojoki (Book of Tea). The book describes the shapes of tea plants, leaves and flowers, how regular consumption of green tea may affect five vital organs, and how to grow and process tea leaves. 

Why should you consume green tea for a healthy heart?

Green tea, according to legend, was first brewed in 2737 BC during the reign of Emperor Shennong. Made from Camellia sinensis leaves, green tea undergoes minimal oxidation during processing.

Population-based studies implies that green tea’s antioxidant properties may help prevent atherosclerosis – hardening and narrowing of the arteries caused by plaque build-up.

Researchers believe green tea lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. They say drinking 3 cups of tea per day decreases the chance of heart attack by 11%. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would not allow green tea manufacturers to use labels claiming green tea reduces heard disease risk.

You should drink green tea for a healthy heart because, tests on animal and people have shown that green tea lowers total cholesterol and raises HDL (good cholesterol). In one population-based clinical study, it was found that men who drank green tea were more likely to have lower cholesterol compared to those who did not drink green tea.

Green tea mojito

 Results from a study done on animals suggest that polyphenols in green tea may prevent cholesterol from being absorbed in the intestine and aid the body in getting rid of cholesterol. Another small study involving male smokers showed that green tea significantly reduced LDL (bad cholesterol) in blood.

A Japanese study suggests that you should drink green tea for a healthy heart. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), in 2006, green tea consumption can lower mortality due to all causes, including cardiovascular disease.

The study conducted in Japan in 1994 followed 40,530 adults for 11 years.

The study found that those who drank at least 5 cups of green tea daily, lowered their risk of death from heart attack by 26% and lowered the risk of death from all causes by 16%, compared to those who drank less than a cup of green tea a day.

An apple a day and green tea for a healthy heart

Researchers from the Institute of Food Research (IFR), led by Dr. Paul Kroon found when green tea works in combination with apples, they produce unique amount of polyphenols, which blocks a signaling molecule called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). In our body, VEGF causes blood vessels to form a process called angiogenesis, which advances cancer. Angiogenesis is also responsible for causing atherosclerosis and ruptured plaques that lead to heart attack and stroke. They suggest, you eat apple and drink green tea for a healthy heart.

This was the first time researchers had been able to directly turn off VEGF using foods rich in polyphenols. By using low dosages of polyphenols from green tea and apples, they were able to completely stop VEGF from turning on.

What is heart failure and why should you take green tea for a healthy heart?

The coronary arteries in the heart provide heart muscles with the much needed supply of oxygen-rich blood. In people with coronary artery disease, fat, protein and calcium build-up within the arteries form plaques, which prevent blood from flowing properly.
Each year in the US, about 735,000 people have a heart attack and 610,000 people die of heart disease making it the leading cause of death in Americans.
In the UK, there are approx. 124,000 heart attacks each year. Around 82,000 people die of heart disease mostly caused by heart attacks.
As part of a healthy lifestyle, drinking green tea daily may help keep our heart healthy. Countless population health studies conducted across the globe suggest we should regularly drink green tea for a healthy heart.

Read More

Eat blueberries for a healthy heart

Health benefits of blueberries are well documented; now a new study advises you to eat blueberries for a healthy heart. The study revealed that these small gems are ‘berry good’ at reducing your chances of developing heart disease.

In the U.S., 1 in every 4 deaths is caused by heart disease, making it the leading cause of death among men and women. The most common form of heart disease is Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), which claims the lives of 370,000 Americans annually.

Berries are considered healthiest varieties among all fruits because they are packed with all sorts of powerful phytochemicals and fiber. They are also relatively low in sugar as compared to other fruits. Researchers at Harvard University have dubbed blueberries and strawberries as “superfoods.”
Researchers believe that antioxidants found in blueberry helps reduce buildup of LDL cholesterol or “bad cholesterol” which is responsible for heart disease and stroke. A USDA Human Nutrition Center study ranked blueberries as No. 1 for its antioxidant benefits when compared to forty different kinds of fruits and vegetables.


Blueberries contain a type of flavonoid called anthocyanins. These anthocyanins not only give it a red or purple color but they also contribute to its numerous health benefits. Anthocyanins are helpful to the endothelial lining of the circulatory system. It promotes a healthy blood pressure and possibly prevent plague buildup in arteries. According to other researches, these anthocyanins protect the heart by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. It also enhances capillary strength and inhibits platelet formation.

Researchers from Florida State University performed research on 48 women who were over the age of menopause and had early-stage blood pressure or were at risk of developing it. These women were given doses of blueberry powder or dummy placebo powder daily. After 8 weeks, the recipients of blueberry powder were shown to have significantly lower blood pressure than before. The women who received placebo powder showed no changes.

A Harvard study led by Dr. Eric Rimm of Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School showed that women who consume three or more servings of half a cup of blueberry each week were less likely to suffer a heart attack.

For the study, Dr. Rimm and his associates collected data from 93,600 women whose ages ranged from 25 to 42. They were asked to report how often they consumed various kind of food over a period of 18 years.

Researchers discovered that women who ate fewest amount of blueberry or strawberry had an increased chance of suffering a heart attack. Women who ate the most berries were at 34% lesser chance of suffering a heart attack than those who ate the least. The researchers also didn’t find much difference in heart conditions between women who ate some berries every now and then and those who did not eat any berry at all.

“The people with heart benefits had three or more servings of a half a cup of blueberries or strawberries each week,” said Dr. Rimm.

Although the study focused on young and middle-aged women, it is likely to apply to men as well.
“If you do feeding studies where they feed people a specific diet for four weeks, the biology of what happens is similar in a 60- and a 25-year-old,” Dr. Rimm explained. “So I don’t expect the benefit is much different for others.”

It is suggested that real blueberries instead of powder or supplement should be consumed in order to get full benefits of this superfood.

Read More