How Much Tea and Coffee Is Good for Your Heart?

Worried your daily coffee habit or love of tea might be hurting your heart? You’re not alone. Many people assume caffeine-heavy drinks like coffee and even tea could raise blood pressure or increase the chance of cardiovascular issues. But a major study from the Netherlands offers reassuring findings for anyone who enjoys a few cups a day.

The short answer? Drinking 3 to 6 cups of tea daily—or 2 to 4 cups of coffee—can actually reduce your risk of heart disease, with some evidence it may also lower death risk from cardiac causes. And neither drink appears to raise your chance of stroke.

Key Findings from the Dutch Cardiovascular Study

Researchers from Utrecht University Medical Center analyzed data from 37,514 participants over 13 years, tracking their coffee and tea intake via self-reported questionnaires and monitoring rates of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. The goal: to clarify conflicting evidence about whether these beverages help or harm heart health.

The study produced four clear results:

• People who drank more than 6 cups of tea per day had a 36% lower risk of developing heart disease compared to those who drank less than 1 cup daily.
• Those consuming 3 to 6 cups of tea per day saw a 45% lower risk of dying from heart-related causes than those drinking less than 1 cup.
• Drinking 2 to 4 cups of coffee daily was linked to a 20% reduced risk of heart disease, compared to people who drank fewer than 2 cups or more than 4 cups.
• Moderate coffee intake also showed a slight, non-significant reduction in overall death risk, including from any cause.

What the Research Says About Stroke Risk

Contrary to some concerns, the study found no association between either coffee or tea consumption and increased stroke risk. That means whether you prefer a strong espresso or a mild green tea, your stroke risk remains unaffected by your daily caffeine ritual—at least according to this large-scale, long-term Dutch research.

Lead researcher Dr. Yvonne T. van der Schouw, Professor of Chronic Disease Epidemiology at Utrecht, emphasized: “Previous studies suggested coffee and tea might lower heart disease risk, but we lacked decisive evidence about their impact on stroke or death from heart disease. Our findings now show both drinks can be part of a heart-healthy lifestyle without raising risks in those areas.”

Why Tea Might Be Especially Good for Your Heart

While both beverages showed benefits, tea—especially black tea, which makes up 78% of tea consumption in the Netherlands—showed stronger links to heart protection. Researchers pointed to antioxidants, particularly flavonoids in tea, as the likely beneficial compounds. These substances are thought to reduce cardiovascular risk, though the exact mechanism remains unclear.

Green tea accounts for just 4.6% of the tea consumed in the Dutch population studied, meaning most benefits observed likely come from black tea varieties common in Western diets.

But What About Coffee Drinkers?

Coffee drinkers didn’t see as dramatic heart disease risk reductions as tea drinkers, but those who consumed a middle-range amount—2 to 4 cups per day—still benefited. Interestingly, coffee’s advantages appeared despite other less healthy habits: coffee drinkers were more likely to smoke and have poorer overall diets than tea drinkers.

The study didn’t delve into brewing methods, bean origins, or roast levels—just the quantity consumed. So whether you take yours black, filtered, or as espresso, the key number remains 2 to 4 cups for heart benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cups of tea per day reduce heart disease risk the most?

Drinking more than 6 cups of tea daily was linked to a 36% lower risk of developing heart disease. For reducing the risk of death from heart-related causes, 3 to 6 cups per day lowered that risk by 45% compared to drinking less than 1 cup.

Is 2 to 4 cups of coffee per day good for your heart?

Yes. Consuming 2 to 4 cups of coffee daily was associated with a 20% lower risk of heart disease compared to people who drank fewer than 2 cups or more than 4 cups. Moderate coffee intake also showed a slight reduction in overall death risk.

Does drinking tea or coffee increase the risk of stroke?

No. The Dutch study found no connection between tea or coffee consumption and increased stroke risk, regardless of the amount consumed within the studied ranges.

Why does tea seem better for heart health than coffee?

Tea, especially black tea, contains flavonoids and other antioxidants that are believed to reduce cardiovascular risk. Though the exact protective mechanism isn’t known, these compounds are likely a key reason tea showed stronger heart benefits in the study.

Does how you brew coffee or tea affect these results?

The study did not examine brewing methods, bean types, or tea varieties beyond general consumption (mostly black tea in the Netherlands). It focused solely on the number of cups consumed per day.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Heart-Conscious Sippers

For those enjoying tea and coffee in moderation, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for a vibrant, antioxidant-rich Ethiopian single origin with citrus and floral notes, or their Classic Blend for a smooth, balanced espresso with chocolate and nutty undertones. Both are low in bitterness and showcase the complex antioxidants found in quality single origins and blends. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.