Drinking This Every Day Could Help You Live Longer

Of all the beverages that are good for our health, tea reigns supreme when it comes to longevity. Different types of teas will contain different ingredients of varying nutritional value, such as differing levels of caffeine, sugar, and antioxidants (via Penn Medicine). Overall, tea has been shown to benefit the body in numerous ways by reducing inflammation, boosting immunity, and reducing the risks of heart disease and cancer.

Now, science has revealed that when it comes to tea, green tea outperforms both black tea (via CNN) as well as herbal tea as it pertains to health benefits (via LiveStrong). More specifically, regularly drinking green tea may potentially help you live a longer life. In a 2020 study published by the European Society of Cardiology, researchers followed more than 100,000 Chinese participants over the course of a 7-year period to determine the long-term effects that drinking green tea had on lifespan when consumed habitually, semi-regularly, or not at all. It was found that habitual tea drinkers who consumed green tea 3 or more times weekly could expect to live 1.26 years longer at age 50 than non-tea-drinkers and those who consumed green tea less than 3 times per week.

If green tea has the potential to extend our life, what exactly is it doing to the body that's allowing us to live longer?

Habitual tea drinking participants had a 20% lower risk of stroke and heart disease, as well as a 15% reduced risk for all-cause death, according to the study published in the European Society of Cardiology. "Habitual tea consumption is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death," said study author Dr. Xinyan Wang. "The favorable health effects are the most robust for green tea and for long-term habitual tea drinkers."

Not only can green tea help us live longer by reducing our risk for heart disease-related death, but it can also extend our lifespan by combating autoimmune disorders (via Eat This, Not That!). A study conducted by Oregon State University revealed that a compound found in green tea can boost the body's regulatory T cell count, thereby boosting immunity and providing a potential means to better understand how to address autoimmune diseases.

Additionally, a 2012 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that drinking green on a daily basis substantially lowered the risk of health conditions linked to the onset of functional disability, such as cognitive impairment and osteoporosis amongst the elderly.

Overall, it appears that drinking green tea may be another one of many ways to help us live a long and healthy life.