Drinking three cups of tea regularly seems can delay aging, a study published in The Lancet suggest.
Researchers from China’s Sichuan University discovered that certain chemical compounds called polyphenols in tea contribute to the effect.
The scientists examined data from around 8,000 people in China aged 30 to 79 and about 6,000 volunteers from Britain aged 37 to 73. They gathered details of the volunteers' food consumption patterns, and told them to record the quantity of tea they consumed.
The study team also measured participants' blood pressure, cholesterol levels and body fat percentage. They used these details to assess the respondents' apparent age.
Researchers found that individuals who drink tea regularly tend to experience a slower biological aging process. The phenomenon was attributed to polyphenols, a special plant-derived compound in tea. Polyphenols are recognized for their ability to combat aging by reducing inflammation and possessing detoxifying effects.
However, the researchers pointed out that their study was observational and could not confirm whether tea consumption was directly linked to slower ageing. At the same time, they observed that participants who stopped drinking tea seemed to age faster.
The study did not investigate if certain varieties of tea were more effective in slowing aging than others, finding no significant differences between tea drinkers in China and the UK. Tea temperature also had no effect, and researchers did not ask about the size of the teacups used.