Drinking tea may help reduce clogged arteries

Women who drink tea may be protecting themselves from a build-up of artery-clogging plaque, and as a result lowering their risk for heart disease and stroke.Researchers in France analysed ultrasound measures of carotid artery plaque among 6597 people (2,613 men and 3,984 women), aged 65 years or older in relation to tea drinking and other dietary habits, and medical and personal history obtained during in-person interviews conducted from 1999 to 2001. Carotid plaques were evident in 44 per cent of female non-tea-drinkers, in nearly 43 per cent of women who reported drinking 1–2 cups of tea daily, and in only about 34 per cent of those who reported drinking three or more cups per day. The association between fewer instances of carotid plaques and increased daily tea consumption was independent of other dietary habits, major vascular risk factors, age, area of residence and education. But the data did not include information about the types of tea consumed or the duration of tea drinking among participants. It was surprising that no association was found between tea consumption and carotid plaques in men.The findings suggest that older women who drink at least three cups of tea a day are less likely to have plaque in the carotid arteries in their neck than those drinking less tea. However, further research is warranted to find out why the association occurred only among women and not men.
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