A cohort study conducted in multiple nations found a connection between tea consumption and a lower risk of contracting type 2 diabetes.
The study was presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.
Presenters said last week they took away risk factors such as like age, sex, and physical inactivity in making their determination.
Initially, scientists struggled to find a connection between tea consumption and diabetes risk. But when the amount of tea was considered, the connection became clearer.
The study found that consuming 1-3 servings of tea a day cut the risk by 4%. But when a person consumes at least four servings of tea, the risk is reduced by 17%. Researchers said there did not appear to be any difference between different types of tea.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that there are 37 million Americans with diabetes, at least 90% of them with type 2.
The CDC said consuming more fruit, vegetables and water helps lower the risk.
“Our results are exciting because they suggest that people can do something as simple as drinking four cups of tea a day to potentially lessen their risk of developing type 2 diabetes”, says lead author Xiaying Li from Wuhan University of Science and Technology in China.
Another recent study in the U.K. from the National Cancer Institute Intramural Research Program found a lower risk of mortality among those who consume at least two cups of tea per day. The study involved nearly 500,000 people aged 40-69 from 2006 through 2010. Researchers then conducted a follow-up 11 years later.