A study shows that drinking three cups of tea a day could delay the doctor by slowing biological aging.
Healthy chemicals in black and green tea could help “positively affect ageing” by reducing cell damage so organs can work longer, Chinese researchers have said.
The biggest benefits were seen in regular beer drinkers, but people could improve their health by drinking it.
Dr Yi Xiang from Sichuan University said: “We found that consuming around three cups of tea a day can provide anti-aging benefits.
“This could be because tea contains numerous bioactive compounds.”
Previous research has shown that drinking tea can lower your chances of diabetes and heart disease.
Also read: Study shows how under-prescribed ORS save half million children’s lives annually
Tea contains polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that may also help protect against cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.
The latest study, published in the Elsevier journal The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, looked at how the drink affects biological aging – a measure of how quickly cells deteriorate.
The researchers examined data from 5,998 adults in Britain aged 37 to 73 and 7,931 aged 30 to 79 in China.
They were asked how much tea they drank, including green and oolong tea, as well as black tea, which in Britain is usually mixed with milk for the traditional builder’s brew.
Their biological aging was measured using special blood tests that track changes in human DNA.
Drinking any amount of tea slowed people’s rate of aging over an average of two years of follow-up, with improvements peaking at three cups a day.
Dr Xiang said: “Tea contains various bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, theanine and caffeine, which may be related to its potential anti-aging effects.
“Polyphenols have been reported to modulate the gut microbiota, which may have an important effect on the regulation of age-related changes in immunity, metabolism, and cognitive function.”
