Study: Green Tea Expands Arteries

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - If you like green tea you are going to like this report.

Green tea can help your arteries. In fact, drinking green tea can expand arteries.

Researchers tested volunteers on separate occasions after participants drank green tea, caffeine, and hot water. They found that dilation, or expansion of the brachial artery, located in the upper arm, increased by 4% 30 minutes after green tea, but not after drinking caffeine or hot water.

Improved dilation in arteries is linked to better cardiovascular health. As with all of these studies, there is an opportunity to do more work as time goes on but there is no doubt this is an argument for the moderate use of green tea in the diet.