[THS] Tea and coffee protect against heart disease

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/10350373.stm

[Well, at least we can avoid heart attacks while we watch the planet die. Sorry folks, it's very black humour today. -ths]

Tea and coffee 'protect against heart disease'

Page last updated at 22:00 GMT, Friday, 18 June 2010 23:00 UK

[photo]
cup of tea It is still not clear what difference milk makes to the health benefits

Drinking several cups of tea or coffee a day appears to protect against heart disease,
a 13-year-long study from the Netherlands has found.

It adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting health benefits from the most
popular hot drinks.

Those who drank more than six cups of tea a day cut their risk of heart disease by a
third, the study of 40,000 people found.

Consuming between two to four coffees a day was also linked to a reduced risk.

While the protective effect ceased with more than four cups of coffee a day, even
those who drank this much were no more likely to die of any cause, including stroke
and cancer, than those who abstained.

The Dutch tend to drink coffee with a small amount of milk and black tea without.
There have been conflicting reports as to whether milk substantially affects the
polyphenols - believed to be the most beneficial substance in tea.
Continue reading the main story

    Having a cigarette with your coffee could completely cancel any benefits

Ellen Mason British Heart Foundation

Coffee has properties which could in theory simultaneously increase and reduce risk -
potentially raising cholesterol while battling the inflammatory damage associated with
heart disease.

But the study in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds those who drank
between two and four cups a day lowered the risk of the disease by 20%.

"It's basically a good news story for those who like tea and coffee. These drinks
appear to offer benefits for the heart without raising the risk of dying from anything
else," said Professor Yvonne van der Schouw, the lead researcher.

Ellen Mason, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study
adds further weight to the evidence that drinking tea and coffee in moderation is not
harmful for most people, and may even lower your risk of developing, or dying, from
heart disease.

"However, it's worth remembering that leading a healthy overall lifestyle is the thing
that really matters when it comes to keeping your heart in top condition.

"Having a cigarette with your coffee could completely cancel any benefits, while
drinking lots of tea in front of the TV for hours on end without exercising is unlikely to
offer your heart much protection at all."