More Tea News

Green tea has become a Big Kahuna of alternative health care in the past few years. But if you love your black tea and just don't want to give it up, don't be concerned that you're making an unhealthy choice.

The American Journal of Cardiology has published a study from Japan's Osaka City University, in which researchers used ultrasound technology to examine the effects of black tea on coronary blood flow.

Ten male subjects drank either black tea or a beverage infused with caffeine. Those who drank black tea had a significant increase in coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) about two hours after tea time, compared to the men who drank the caffeinated beverage.

A good CFVR profile indicates that the heart is healthy enough to respond well when increased blood flow is required. The researchers believe that black tea flavonoids may help promote elasticity in the lining of blood vessels.

In spite of the modest size of the study, the Osaka researchers were confident enough in their findings to state: "Acute black tea consumption improves coronary vessel function, as determined by CFVR."

I'm not sure "acute" was exactly the right word here - possibly something was lost in translation. Let's just say it appears that regular consumption of black tea may help keep your blood vessels young and springy.