Tea and Heart Disease Flavonoids are natural substances that make blood cells less prone to clotting. There are about 4,000 flavonoids and many are found in fruits, vegetables and red wine. Tea also contains powerful amounts of flavonoids and black tea contains more powerful flavonoids than green tea, while herbal teas are not known to contain any.
Flavonoids also are one of the most powerful antioxidants.
A recent study reported at a Royal Society of Medicine conference concluded that drinking tea every day could reduce the chance of a heart attack. However, the study did not compare the benefits of one cup versus two, three or four, and the question of how much tea to drink, and how strong it should be brewed for the greatest benefit, is still open to debate. The study examined 340 men and women who had suffered heart attacks and matched them by age, sex and neighborhood with people who had never had a heart attack. Coffee and tea-drinking habits were investigated over the course of a year. The study involved regular tea from black tea leaves, as opposed to green or herbal teas.