Red wine and tea beneficial

The data of around 190,000 people with blood pressure values above 140/90 mmHg were extracted from the large pool of UK Biobank test subjects, from whom information on the consumption of coffee, tea and wine was also available. At the end of the study period, on average after nearly 14 years, around 18,000 people had died, around 3,500 of them from heart or vascular disease. Almost 25,000 people were newly ill with it.

The analysis of the data revealed a significant inverse relationship between overall mortality and the consumption of tea and red wine: Those who drank at least one cup of tea a day or one to seven glasses of wine (175 ml each) per week were able to enjoy a better life expectancy. The same was true for high blood pressure patients who consumed more than five cups of tea a day or eight to fourteen glasses of red wine a week. Higher consumption did not bring any further benefits.

Best values for moderate red wine consumption

The consumption of tea and red wine was also associated with lower risks in mortality from heart and vascular diseases and related diseases, with wine even performing better. Further analyses showed that the advantageous associations are not based on the alcohol content of the wine, but that accompanying substances such as polyphenols are more likely to be responsible for this.

The authors conclude from their data that the moderate consumption of tea and red wine can also be part of a healthy diet for high blood pressure patients.

Source: German Wine Academy; from VINOMED, November/2024. Photo: lev dolgachov - Adobestock