- less salt,
- more exercise,
- less alcohol,
- avoiding cigarettes,
- and, especially, replacing sugary drinks with healthier choices.
Looking at data from 2020–2025, we see that during this time people consumed over 35% more soft drinks than a decade earlier. This was not good news for the heart. Scientists found that just one soda per day increases the risk of heart disease by 20%. But here’s what’s interesting: when people swap sugary drinks for hot beverages, the risk decreases.
And this is where green tea steps onto the stage—a real treasure trove of health.
Green tea - the hot drink cardiologists recommend every day
Although many know it only as a delicate, greenish liquid, green tea is one of the strongest natural drinks in the world. Traditional medicine has used it for over 4,000 years, but modern research has only recently begun to reveal why it’s so effective.
Cardiologist Dr. Leonard Pianko, who has become known in recent years for researching the influence of diet on heart disease, emphasizes that green tea works because of its high amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that act as cleaners in the body. They collect free radicals (these are harmful molecules that attack cells), which cause inflammation. Inflammation, as cardiologists say, is the first step toward heart disease.
Research from 2022, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, showed that people who drink at least two cups of green tea daily reduce their risk of heart attack by 20–28%. That's a huge difference for a drink that costs almost nothing.
How does green tea affect blood pressure?
Cardiologist Dr. Kishan Parikh points out another important feature of green tea: it promotes the widening of blood vessels. This means the blood flows more easily and without pressure.
2021 research showed that just 12 weeks of green tea consumption among people with high blood pressure reduced systolic blood pressure (the upper pressure) by about 6–7 units—which is about as much as some mild blood pressure medications.
Traditional healers described this effect differently: they said green tea “softens the blood.” The phrase may sound old-fashioned, but it actually means the same thing: smoother blood flow.
Green tea also helps with weight loss
Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease. And even though we don’t like to hear it, 62% of Europeans are overweight and, among those over 50, it’s more than 70%.
Green tea speeds up metabolism by 3–7%. While this isn’t miraculous, it’s enough for the body to burn an extra 70 to 100 calories a day, which over a year can mean 3 to 5 kilos less—without diets, gadgets, or unexpected costs.
This was also confirmed by studies at Kobe University in Japan, where, in 2020, they tested the effects of green tea on 242 adults and found that weight loss among regular green tea drinkers was twice as great as those who did not consume the drink.
Green tea and the brain – a gift we often overlook
You may have already heard that green tea improves memory. That’s not a fairy tale. In 2023, the University of Zurich published findings that just one cup of green tea improves the functioning of brain areas related to memory by as much as 13%.
But the nicest part is that this is also confirmed by traditional medicine. Elderly women in the East always recommended drinking warm tea while studying. They attributed to it the power to “clarify the mind”—which, in practice, means better concentration, and that’s been confirmed by modern science.
Green tea and bones – an unexpected protection against aging
Problems with bones are increasingly common in Europe. According to 2024 statistics, 30% of women over 50 already have reduced bone mass. Research from China, where people drink the most green tea in the world, shows that green tea drinkers have, on average, 12% higher bone density.
Once again, the reason lies in antioxidants, which slow down the breakdown of bone tissue.
This is interesting even from a traditional point of view: for thousands of years, Chinese traditional medicine has taught that tea strengthens the body’s internal structure, fitting very well with modern scientific findings.
But beware: moderation is key!
Green tea contains caffeine (though less than coffee), but this means that excessive intake can cause:
- insomnia,
- nervousness,
- restlessness,
- rapid heartbeat.
People who are already taking heart medication are especially sensitive. There’s a 2023 case of a 62-year-old woman in Germany who drank 6–7 cups of green tea per day and turned to doctors after increased nervousness. The reason was simple: too much caffeine. Cardiologists recommend no more than 2–3 cups per day.
Why hot drinks? Why not cold?
Traditional medicine has always believed that warmth heals. The old folks would say that “warmth moves the blood.” And it’s true: when we drink a warm beverage, our blood vessels slightly dilate, circulation improves, and the heart works more relaxed. Research from 2020 showed that just five minutes after drinking hot tea, microcirculation improved by 22%. That’s an impressive finding that modern medicine cannot ignore.
So, instead of expensive supplements and trendy drinks, everyone at home can do something very simple every day:
- heat up water,
- add a teaspoon of quality green tea,
- let it steep for 3 minutes,
- sip slowly, in small sips.
Green tea is not a miracle, but it is the simplest everyday habit for a better heart
Cardiologists are right in saying that we should all drink hot drinks more often, especially green tea. But it’s interesting that this has been recommended by traditional medicine for thousands of years. When modern science and ancient wisdom meet, we know something really works.
At a time when heart disease is on the rise around the world (in 2025, it accounted for as much as 31% of all deaths), it’s only right that we look for solutions that are simple, accessible, and effective. One cup of green tea a day is exactly that: a small change with a big effect.
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