How drinking tea and coffee can have positive effects on your health

The two hot beverages that seem to be keeping Americans going now have an added benefit that we were previously unaware of. A new study shows that people who consume these two drinks frequently may have a lower risk of dementia or stroke.

The study, published in PLOS Medicine, examined data from 360,000 people between the ages of 50 and 74 who searched for their coffee and tea drinking habits and incidents of dementia and stroke over the years. After the first survey was conducted, the same participants were followed up 11 years later so the researchers could compare and contrast.

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The study concluded that participants who drank two to three cups of either of these two drinks per day did better than those who did not drink them at all. The sweet spot was found when people consumed this amount of each drink daily (4 to 6 cups total), resulting in a 28% lower risk of dementia and a 32% lower risk of stroke.

In an email exchange with CNN, Dr. Lee H. Schwamm, chairman of the American Stroke Association’s advisory committee and chairman of Vascular Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, said that while the study was fascinating, there was no way to establish causality from these initial data.

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“We cannot assume causality and say: ‘Drinking more coffee or tea is good for the brain.’ What we can only say is that in this study, people who reported moderate coffee / tea drinking were less likely to have stroke or dementia during the 10 years of follow-up, ”he said.

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Coffee has long been linked to preventing a variety of diseases and improving heart health. Still, it’s always important to approach caffeine in moderation and control your coffee consumption without holding it too tight. When it comes to tea, studies have found compounds that suggest lower chances of cardiovascular disease, better teeth, and even protection against cancer.

In short, go for that warm drink in the morning and don’t think too much about it if you feel the urge to drink more later in the day.