Avid tea drinkers now have a reason to rejoice as drinking tea regularly may be linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study has found that people who drank around six to eight cups a day are at low risk. However, researchers warn that this does not mean everyone should increase their tea consumption.Published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, the study examined data from 485,934 adults in China, aged 30 to 79. Over an average follow-up of about nine years, researchers identified 14,863 cases of cardiovascular and other vascular diseases, including heart attacks, strokes and peripheral artery disease. Tea Drinkers At Lower Heart Disease RiskPeople who drank tea at least three days a week had an approximately 11% lower risk of developing vascular disease than those who drank it less frequently.The lowest estimated risk was observed among people who drank around six to eight cups daily. However, risk began to rise again at higher consumption levels.The findings are based on an observational study. It means that they just show an association rather than proving that tea directly prevents heart disease. It is also important to note that participants reported their own habits of drinking tea, and researchers did not use a standard cup size.Emergency physician Dr Leana Wen cautioned against interpreting the results and drinking multiple cups of tea as a daily target, according to CNN. She said, "People should not interpret this to mean that everyone should aim to drink six to eight cups of tea daily."Also read: India Proposes Lower Pesticide Residue Limits In Tea Than US & Japan: What Are The Health Risks?What Type Of Tea Is The Most Beneficial? The study mostly found associations between black tea consumption and lower cardiovascular risk across different types of vascular disease. Green tea showed benefits for heart health, according to the study.Black and green tea come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but the leaves are processed differently, resulting in different compositions of polyphenols.Tea contains polyphenols, including flavonoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds may help support blood vessel function. Some research has also linked tea consumption with improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol.However, researchers cannot rule out other lifestyle factors. People who drink tea regularly may differ from non-drinkers in their diet, physical activity, smoking habits and other aspects of health.Dr Wen said, “Both can be part of a heart-healthy diet — especially if people take care to drink them without added sugar.”Also read: Mississippi Student Deaths Put Kratom Under Scrutiny: How Dangerous Is It?Why You Should Avoid Drinking Tea Scalding HotThe study also found that people who reported drinking tea at a “burning hot” temperature had a 16% higher risk of vascular disease than those who did not regularly drink tea.The researchers trusted the participants' descriptions of their preferred drinking temperature, rather than measuring the temperature directly. The finding should therefore be interpreted accordingly.There is another reason to let tea cool before drinking it. Repeated consumption of very hot beverages has been linked to an increased risk of oesophageal cancer. Researchers Warn The study does not prove that drinking more tea will lower an individual's risk of heart disease, and the findings may not apply in the same way to every population.Additionally, tea also contains caffeine. An eight-ounce cup of black tea typically contains around 30 to 50 milligrams, while green tea generally contains less. Excessive caffeine intake can contribute to sleep problems, anxiety or palpitations. Pregnant people are generally advised to limit caffeine to 200 milligrams a day,.Drinking unsweetened tea can be part of a daily diet, especially when it replaces sugary drinks. Apart from this, regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and eating a balanced diet still remain the basic ways to reduce cardiovascular risk.