In a meta study reported in the December issue of UK Nutrition Bulletin correlating 40 research papers linking black tea and disease prevention, results of the study suggest that drinking three to six cups of tea daily can cut the risk of a heart attack by 60 percent. The papers also supported strong evidence that one to five cups daily clearly reduce the threat of type 2 diabetes, reduce clotting which can lead to strokes, and help control blood pressure. Results like that make it difficult to understand why the FDA still prevents tea purveyors from making any health claims about tea. Clear data is out there.
Well, January is National Hot Tea Month, and we say, "Drink Up & Be Healthy!" While we usually only hear about green tea when it comes to tea being healthy for you, these studies show that regular old black tea is unquestionably good for you especially in contributing to cardiovascular health. One study showed that 3 cups a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 21%, and 6 cups raises that to 42%. And, did you know that within one-half hour of drinking a cup of tea, your blood pressure goes down? Black tea comes in more flavors and varieties than any other type of tea, so the only real problem might be narrowing it down to which one to enjoy. I'm off to enjoy a nice cuppa decaf chai before bed. 
