Issue No.138 The Longevity Boost in Your Cuppa
- BeWellLongevity
- By Be Well
Your daily ritual might just be one of your simplest longevity habits.
If, like me, you can’t do without your daily tea and coffee, you’ll be pleased to hear that recent research shows that tea and coffee drinkers live longer and a long term study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that drinking a mix 7 to 8 cups of black coffee and tea with water was associated with a 28% lower risk of death.
Why? Tea and coffee are packed with polyphenols, powerful plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help protect our cells, support brain and heart health and slow the biological processes of ageing.
Tea has been revered for centuries and science is now catching up to explain why.
Heart health: Regular black tea drinkers have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Brain protection: Green tea polyphenols (especially EGCG) protect against cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Metabolism & blood sugar: Green tea supports insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Bone & gut health: Tea compounds strengthen bones and support beneficial gut bacteria – two key pillars of healthy ageing.
Hot Tip: 2 – 3 cups of green and black tea / day are optimum. Try cold-brewed tea to keep the antioxidants in!
The modern antioxidant powerhouse
If tea is ancient wisdom, coffee is modern resilience. Beyond the energy boost, research has linked moderaate coffee intake with:
Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
Better liver and metabolic health
Improved cognitive performance and lower Parkinson’s risk
A lift in mood and motivation.
Hot Tip: Black Turkish & Greek coffee are the big winners, but so are arabic coffees. Choose high quality beans, ditch the sugar, and don’t drink coffee after 3pm if your sleep is likely to be disturbed.
The secret ingredient in tea & coffee?
The real heroes in both beverages are polyphenols – natural compounds that fight inflammaging, the chronic, low grade inflammation linked to most age related diseases. By protecting your cells and mitochondria (your body’s energy engines), polyphenols help you stay sharper, calmer and stronger for longer.
Sip your way to longevity
At Be Well, we believe small daily rituals compound into big wellbeing outcomes. We make herbal teas available in the Well all day, everyday. Next time you wrap your hands around your preferred cup, know you’re doing more than just enjoying the moment – you’re investing in your future health.
Here’s to your next mindful sip – for energy, clarity and living longer, better, younger!
See you again at Be Well soon.
Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia. Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.