Agencies

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Why the time early evening falls, are your tea cravings so strong that you cannot think clearly until you have a cup of cutting? Then it might be for the good. Research has linked drinking tea at least three times a week with a longer and healthier life.

The next time you start your day with a cuppa, your body might just thank you for it. According to study first author Xinyan Wang of Bejing's Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, "Habitual tea consumption is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death. These favourable health effects are the most robust for green tea and for long-term habitual tea drinkers."

For years now, green tea has won a coveted spot as a miracle potion for radiant skin and weight management among numerous other health benefits.

Green tea is a rich source of polyphenols, which protect against cardiovascular disease and its risk factors, including high blood pressure. This differentiates it from black tea which is fully fermented, during which polyphenols are oxidised into pigments and may lose their antioxidant effects.

Black tea is often served with milk, which previous research has shown may counteract the favourable health effects of tea on vascular function, the study said. In a sub-analysis by type of tea, drinking green tea was linked with approximately 25 % lower risks for incident heart disease and stroke, fatal heart disease and stroke, and all-cause death.