Black tea has been a popular beverage for centuries, and its potential impact on heart health has been widely studied.
The relationship between black tea and cardiovascular health is mostly attributed to its rich content of flavonoids, particularly catechins, theaflavins, and thearubigins, which are powerful antioxidants.
But for all the amazing scientific study done around this subject, there is one very obvious reason that tea in its purest form is good for your heart. It’s a delicious, affordable and near-universally available alternative to all those cans of energy pop that shamelessly targeted at children by using the social media clout of some of the worst humans on this fragile planet of ours.
Prime. Red Bull. Monster Energy. V Energy. Rockstar. Mother Energy. Lift Plus. NOS Energy Drink. Bang Energy. Full Throttle. 5-hour Energy. Monster Ultra. Reign Total Body Fuel. Celsius Energy. E2 Energy Drink. Monster Juice. C4 Energy. Adrenaline Shoc. Mountain Dew Kickstart. Red Eye Energy.
It’s enough to give you a heart attack.
Anyway, here's how black tea can positively impact heart health with a few incredibly easy to understand explanations to share with the people in your life who might be prone to the colourful packaging of all that nightmare fuel.
Lowering blood pressure
Several studies suggest that black tea consumption can help in reducing blood pressure, especially systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading). Regular intake of black tea has been linked to modest reductions in blood pressure, which can help reduce the risk of heart-related issues over time.
- Mechanism: The flavonoids in black tea are thought to help improve blood vessel function and enhance nitric oxide production, which relaxes and widens blood vessels.
Imagine your blood vessels are like water hoses that carry blood around your body. Sometimes, these hoses can get a bit tight, making it harder for blood to flow through. This can put more pressure on your heart.
When you drink black tea, these special little helpers called flavonoids tell your blood vessels to relax and widen, like stretching the hose to make more space for the water to flow through easily.
They also help make something called nitric oxide, which is like a signal telling your blood vessels, “Stop being so uptight. It’s time to catch some vibes. Listen to some Fred Again or musical artist equally as relevant to young people and relax”.
This makes it easier for blood to move around your body without your heart working like some kind of millennial, helping keep your heart happy and healthy.
Effects of tea intake on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol
Black tea may also aid in lowering levels of LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, which is associated with plaque buildup in the arteries, a leading cause of heart disease.
- Evidence: Studies have shown that drinking black tea regularly can reduce LDL cholesterol by about 3-11%, which is significant for heart health, especially in individuals at risk of heart disease.
- Improved endothelial function leads to better blood flow and a reduced likelihood of arterial blockages that can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
Imagine your body is a huge music festival, and your blood vessels are the pathways that everyone uses to travel between artists who represent the perfect blend between mass appeal and total artistic freedom.
LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) is like the bad festival-goers who leave trash all over the place under the flawed logic that they are creating jobs for people. All the litter clogs up the paths, making it hard for people to get around. When things get too blocked up, people can barely move and you risk catastrophic crushes at pinch points.
Now, HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) is like the Greenpeace clean-up crew who are working for their free ticket.
They go around collecting all the rubbish left by the messy crowd, keeping the paths clear. The more Greenpeace crew (HDL) you have working, the cleaner your festival stays, and everyone can move around without trouble.
So, just like Greenpeace helps protect the environment at festivals, HDL cholesterol helps protect your heart by cleaning up your blood vessels and keeping things running smoothly.
Black tea consumption reduces total and LDL cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic adults
Antioxidant benefits
Black tea is rich in antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress, which can damage cells and contribute to the development of heart disease. The specific antioxidants in black tea, such as theaflavins and catechins, help neutralise free radicals, reducing the overall risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and other cardiovascular issues.
Imagine your body is Gotham City and your cells are the population. The bad guys are the free radicals who show up and start trying to wreck up the place and harm your peace loving citizens.
If these bad guys aren’t stopped, they can make the streets (your blood vessels) hard and bumpy, which isn’t good for your heart.
The antioxidants in tea are basically loads of batmen who go around kicking the living piss out of the free radicals and protecting your heart from their villainous nonsense.
Go read our blog post: Antioxidants in tea for a deeper dive.
Anti-inflammatory properties
Inflammation is a major factor in the development of a wide range of chronic diseases.
A commonly cited statistic is that chronic inflammation is associated with 60-70% of all chronic diseases. This includes conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis.
The polyphenols found in black tea have anti-inflammatory effects, which can help reduce inflammation in the arteries and heart, contributing to better heart health.
Improving blood sugar levels
Maintaining stable blood sugar levels can indirectly improve heart health by reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, a known risk factor for heart disease. Black tea can help regulate blood sugar levels, particularly after eating meals high in sugar.
The polyphenols in black tea can improve how your body processes sugar, helping to keep your blood sugar levels more stable, especially after eating a sugary meal. When your blood sugar levels are controlled, it lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and by reducing that risk, it also helps protect your heart in the long run.
You know what doesn’t improve your sugar levels? Energy drinks that contain up to 65 g of sugar PER CAN!
Also, perhaps don't add too much sugar to your black tea. Just saying.
Final thoughts
So there you have it — a steaming cup of black tea is more than just a pick-me-up. It's packed with flavonoids that do everything from lowering your blood pressure to reducing the "bad" cholesterol that’s not invited to your heart party.
If you’re looking for a delicious way to support your cardiovascular system, you could do worse than making black tea part of your routine. Just remember, it's not an excuse to skip your veggies or blow off exercise, but it’s a nice little heart-healthy bonus to add to your day.