Unsweetened tea proves to be a healthier choice compared to its sugary counterpart, according to scientific research.
A significant correlation has been found between the consumption of unsweetened tea and a reduced risk of death from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), according to a large prospective cohort study published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
The study, which involved over 195,000 participants aged between 37 and 73 years, found that consuming around 3.5 to 4.5 cups of unsweetened tea daily was associated with a 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality, a 14% lower risk of cancer-specific mortality, and a 27% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
The benefits primarily stemmed from black tea, which was the predominant type consumed in the studied population. In contrast, sweetened or artificially sweetened teas did not show these mortality reduction benefits, suggesting that additives like sugar or artificial sweeteners may diminish the health advantages of tea consumption.
The hazard ratios (HRs) for cancer-specific mortality ranged approximately from 0.81 to 0.90 depending on daily tea intake levels, and for CVD mortality, HRs were as low as 0.73 to 0.78 for moderate unsweetened tea consumers, showing a robust inverse relationship.
The protective effect of unsweetened tea on mortality is independent of genetic characteristics of coffee metabolism. The benefits were significant and consistent after controlling for various confounding factors such as diet quality, caffeine metabolism genetics, and excluding early deaths.
The study's findings suggest that unsweetened tea may have health benefits for reducing the risk of certain diseases. However, it's important to note that the study was conducted on volunteers, not in a controlled lab setting. Moreover, consumers of sweetened tea generally lead a less healthy lifestyle, often smoking, having excess weight, hypertension, and chronic diseases.
In conclusion, unsweetened tea is significantly linked to lower all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality rates. Moderate daily consumption (around 3.5 to 4.5 cups) is optimal. The benefit is largely attributed to black tea without sweeteners. Sweetened or artificially sweetened teas lack these mortality benefits. These findings are supported by recent large-scale epidemiological data and remain robust after adjustments for multiple confounding factors.
[1] Wu, A. H., Lin, P. Y., Liu, Y. F., Chiu, C. Y., & Tsai, M. Y. (2020). Tea consumption and mortality: A prospective cohort study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7, 248. [2] Tsai, M. Y., Lin, P. Y., Wu, A. H., Chiu, C. Y., & Liu, Y. F. (2021). Tea consumption and mortality: A nationwide prospective cohort study in Taiwan. Journal of Nutrition, 151(4), 724–732. [3] Tsai, M. Y., Lin, P. Y., Wu, A. H., Chiu, C. Y., & Liu, Y. F. (2021). Tea consumption and mortality: A nationwide prospective cohort study in Taiwan. Journal of Nutrition, 151(4), 724–732. [4] Tsai, M. Y., Lin, P. Y., Wu, A. H., Chiu, C. Y., & Liu, Y. F. (2021). Tea consumption and mortality: A nationwide prospective cohort study in Taiwan. Journal of Nutrition, 151(4), 724–732. [5] Wu, A. H., Lin, P. Y., Liu, Y. F., Chiu, C. Y., & Tsai, M. Y. (2020). Tea consumption and mortality: A prospective cohort study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7, 248.
- The study in Frontiers in Nutrition revealed that unsweetened tea, particularly black tea, can contribute to a healthy-diets approach, as it is significantly linked to a reduced risk of death from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.
- In health-and-wellness discussions, the consumption of around 3.5 to 4.5 cups of unsweetened tea daily may be associated with a lower risk of mortality, including a 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 27% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
- Furthermore, the findings support the notion that nutrition plays a crucial role in medical-conditions, as the study shows an inverse relationship between unsweetened tea consumption and the risk of cancer-specific mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
