How do you drink your tea? Study reveals surprising findings about heart health

A new study examining the relationship between tea consumption and cardiovascular health has revealed notable findings about tea-drinking habits. Published in the *-Journal of Internal Medicine on October 21, 2026, the study assessed tea type, brewing strength, drinking temperature and consumption amount.

Regular tea consumption linked to an 11% lower risk

Researchers analyzed data from 485,934 adults in the China Kadoorie Biobank and followed participants for an average of 9.05 years. During this period, 14,863 new cases of vascular disease were recorded.

According to the findings, regular tea consumption was associated with an approximately 11% lower risk of overall vascular disease. The study also examined different types of vascular disease, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions.

More consistent associations found for black tea

Black tea showed a more consistent association with lower risk across a wider range of vascular diseases than green tea. Drinking moderately brewed tea was also associated with a lower risk.

However, the findings do not establish that black tea is definitively healthier than green tea. Rather, the study identified different associations depending on tea type and preparation method.

Drinking very hot tea linked to a higher risk

The temperature at which tea was consumed was another key finding. Participants who reported drinking tea at a "scalding hot" temperature had a 16% higher risk of vascular disease than those who did not drink tea regularly.

By contrast, drinking tea at room temperature or hot but not scalding was associated with a lower risk. However, because drinking temperature was self-reported by participants, this measurement limitation should be considered when interpreting the findings.

How was drinking 6–8 cups of tea a day assessed?

Among participants who drank tea at least once a week, the lowest estimated risk of vascular disease was observed at a consumption level of approximately six to eight cups per day. However, the relationship between tea consumption and disease risk was nonlinear, with the risk beginning to rise again at higher levels of consumption.

However, this finding does not mean that everyone should aim to drink six to eight cups of tea a day. The study did not use a standardized cup size, and consumption estimates were based on participants' self-reported data. For these reasons, the findings should be interpreted with caution when considering individual tea-drinking habits. The researchers also specifically cautioned against interpreting this amount as an optimal or recommended level of daily tea consumption.

Not smoking and physical activity also matter

The study examined tea consumption alongside smoking and physical activity. Participants who drank tea regularly, did not smoke and had high levels of physical activity formed the group associated with the lowest risk of vascular disease.

In this group, the risk of vascular disease was estimated to be approximately 45% lower than in the comparison group. This finding does not indicate that tea consumption alone produces a reduction in risk of the same magnitude.

What do the study's findings mean?

Published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, the study found that regular tea consumption was associated with a lower risk of vascular disease. However, its observational design does not prove that tea consumption directly causes a protective effect.

Other factors, including diet and lifestyle, may also contribute to the relationship between tea consumption and disease risk. The findings should therefore not be interpreted as evidence that drinking a specific amount of tea will prevent cardiovascular disease.