The NY Daily News Reminds us today, the importance of drinking tea to be in better health and especially reduce our risk of strokes. Try one of our great organic whole leaf tea, black tea or green tea and increase your heart health

Tea may thwart strokes, says prof

BY Owen Moritz
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Friday, February 20th 2009, 2:01 AM
Drinking tea has many advantages, one of which is reducing risk of stroke.

Drinking tea has many advantages, one of which is reducing risk of stroke.

Drinking three or more cups of tea a day - green or black - can reduce the risk of stroke, a UCLA study has found.

"By drinking three cups of tea a day, the risk of a stroke was reduced 21%," said Lenore Arab, professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine.

The more you drink, the better your odds of staving off a stroke, the professor said. Three more cups and your risk drops another 21%.

Arab said the effect was found in tea made from the plant Camellia sinensis, not herbs.

Researchers speculate that the anti-oxidant epigallocatechin gallate or the amino acid Theanine in teas may be what helps.

Some studies show anti-oxidants help prevent coronary artery disease.

"That's why these findings are so exciting," Arab said. "If we can find a way to prevent the stroke, or prevent the damage, that is simple and not toxic, that would be a great advance.