The best drink to protect the heart!

A team of experts has revealed that drinking tea for decades is best for protecting the heart.

An analysis by the University of New South Wales in Australia found that adults who consume large amounts of tea over the long term have a 19% lower than average risk of dying from heart disease.

Coffee also reduces the risk of heart disease, but only for men, while soft drinks and alcohol increase the risk.

The research team reviewed 20 previous studies on the relationship between heart disease and long-term consumption of popular beverages.

“The results of this study show that tea is number one for protecting our hearts,” said Dr. Carrie Ruxton, a nutritionist with the Tea Advisory Committee.

Studies regularly find that the health-promoting polyphenols found in tea leaves have a range of benefits. They act as antioxidants, removing harmful molecules from the blood, preventing cell damage, reducing stress and improving metabolism.

Tea is also said to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer, and aid in weight loss.

"We found that each additional cup of tea per day reduced the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 4%, and we showed the long-term benefits of starting a tea drinking habit from early adulthood or even childhood," Roxton added.

The study was published in the journal Current Advances in Nutrition.