Too Much Coffee, Soda May Raise Your Risk of Stroke, but Tea May Lower It

• A new study has found that having more than four cups of coffee per day increases the risk of stroke by 37%.
• A stroke risk of 22% and a stroke risk of 37% were also linked to frequent consumption of carbonated beverages and fruit juice.
• However, the overall risk of stroke was reduced by 27% to 29% by drinking three to four cups of tea per day, though the addition of milk may negate these benefits.

Regarding cardiovascular health, what you eat and drink can have a big effect on your blood vessels.

Tea and water appear to be ahead of coffee and soda, at least when it comes to the risk of stroke, according to two new studies on healthy beverage choices.

One study found that drinking fruit juice and carbonated beverages frequently increased the risk of stroke. Another study demonstrated that tea reduced the risk of stroke while drinking more than four cups of coffee per day increased the risk.

Andrew Smyth, PhD, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Galway in Ireland, who was the lead researcher for both studies, stated in a release, “As a doctor and as someone who has researched the risk of stroke, we would encourage people to avoid or minimize their consumption of fizzy and fruit drinks and to consider switching to water instead.” He was the lead researcher for both studies.

The link between fruit juice, soda, and stroke risk

In one study, researchers found that having one carbonated beverage a day, whether it was sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened, increased the overall risk of stroke by 22 percent. People who drank two or more of these drinks per day were significantly more at risk.

There was a 37% increase in the risk of a stroke associated with drinking up to one fruit juice or beverage per day. This stroke risk tripled for daily consumption of two fruit juices or drinks.

According to the findings of the researchers, the consumption of fruit juice or drinks was associated with the highest risk of stroke in females.

“Some fruit drinks contain added sweeteners or preservatives, which may offset these potential benefits,” they added. While fruit juice may contain compounds like polyphenols that offer benefits for the heart,

Also, this study found that drinking seven or more cups of water a day reduced the risk of stroke as a whole and of stroke caused by a clot or bleeding.

The link between coffee, tea, and stroke risk

According to the other analysis, people who drank more than four cups of coffee per day had a 37% increased risk of stroke as a whole and a 32% increased risk of stroke caused by a clot. The consumption of less coffee did not increase the risk of stroke.

On the other hand, people who drank more than four cups of tea per day had a 19% lower risk of all types of stroke, a 22% lower risk of stroke caused by bleeding, and a 19% lower risk of stroke caused by a clot.

The advantages varied slightly between tea varieties.

A 29% lower overall risk of stroke was linked to drinking three to four cups of black tea per day, such as Breakfast or Earl Grey.

Three to four cups of green tea daily were linked to a 27% lower overall stroke risk. A lower overall risk of stroke was linked to other types of tea.

Researchers discovered that when people added milk, these stroke-related benefits of tea disappeared.

The study did make a distinction between milk alternatives like soy, oat, or almond beverages and cow’s milk. However, Smyth told Healthline that some participants probably used non-dairy milks in their coffee or tea because the study included people from areas with a high prevalence of lactose tolerance.

New studies are limited, but water and tea remain healthier choices

The studies are observational and cannot demonstrate whether drinking soda, coffee, or tea increases or decreases stroke risk.

According to José Morales, MD, vascular neurologist and neuro-interventional surgeon at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., “these are case-control studies using questionnaires, which can be prone to bias and have other limitations.” However, “there is a basis from prior independent research that is in agreement with these studies to support the overall healthiness of water consumption over any other beverage type,” he told Healthline.

EntirelyNourished’s preventive cardiology dietitian, Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, concurs.

According to Routhenstein, these studies “underline the significance of choosing water and tea as your primary beverages to help reduce your risk of stroke.”

Morales and Routhenstein were not involved in the research.

This study also has a positive side effect.

Morales stated, “It is reassuring for those who thrive on caffeine that tea and moderate coffee consumption (less than 4 cups per day) are not associated with an increased risk of stroke.”

“Unfortunately, drinking soda raises your risk of stroke, as does drinking sugary drinks like soda, fruit juice, and so on on a daily basis. may make you more likely to have a brain bleed,” he stated.

Balance is essential in any beverage.

Morales stated, “Even drinking too much water can cause health problems.” In a similar vein, “occasional fruit juice may not affect your risk of stroke and can provide essential vitamins.” Additionally, if you enjoy coffee, limit your consumption to no more than four cups per day.

Takeaway

Researchers discovered that drinking up to one carbonated beverage per day increased the overall risk of stroke by 22% after analyzing data from a large, multi-country study. Higher consumption levels significantly raised the risk.

There was a 37% increase in the risk of stroke associated with having up to one fruit juice or beverage per day. When two fruit juices or drinks were consumed daily, the risk of stroke tripled.

A separate study found that having more than four cups of coffee per day increased the overall risk of stroke by 37%. At lower coffee intakes, there was no increased risk of stroke.

The risk of stroke as a whole decreased by 19% when people drank more than four cups of tea per day.

The risk of having a stroke was reduced by 29% when three to four cups of black tea were consumed daily, as opposed to 27% when three to four cups of green tea were consumed daily.

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• Too Much Coffee, Soda May Raise Your Risk of Stroke, but Tea May Lower It