NEW YORK, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Some fancy a smooth, relaxing, steaming cup of brewed tea, others a cold, refreshing glass of iced tea, but regardless of how it is served, tea is fast becoming the preferred beverage of many. Now, tea lovers can feel better than ever about consuming their favorite drink. Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, FACN, chief of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University, has identified tea as one of the top healthy foods for the new year, the new millenium and beyond, and people across the country are celebrating during National Hot Tea Month.

"This January is the perfect time to consider tea as part of a healthy diet. As a new year and new millenium begin, people are making resolutions to eat and live healthier, and there's no better time to celebrate tea's healthy attributes than National Hot Tea Month," said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Council of the USA.

Scientists have found that tea contains antioxidants, substances that can reduce oxidative damage in the body, helping to maintain healthy cells and tissues. The latest epidemiological research suggests that drinking black tea may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Of particular interest are two studies that were published this year:

* A recent study examined 340 men and women who had suffered heart attacks and found that those who drank a cup or more of black tea daily had a 44 percent reduction in heart attack risk compared to non-tea drinkers. The study was conducted by Dr. Howard Sesso et al. at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in January.

* In a study by Dutch researchers, participants who drank one to two cups of black tea daily had a 46 percent lower risk of severe aortic atherosclerosis, one factor contributing to cardiovascular disease. Those who drank more than four cups of tea a day had a 69 percent lower risk. The study, published in October in the Archives of Internal Medicine, examined the association of tea intake and the severity of aortic atherosclerosis in 3,454 subjects who were free of cardiovascular disease at the time of baseline.

Earlier epidemiological and laboratory studies suggest a relationship between tea consumption and reduced risk of several types of cancer, including oral, digestive, lung and colorectal, and that tea has greater antioxidant power in vitro than many fruits and vegetables.

"It's no longer a matter of considering just the vitamin and mineral content of our diets. People now need to recognize that foods and beverages can contribute important phytonutrients like the antioxidant flavonoids," said Dr. Blumberg. "Flavonoid-rich and virtually calorie-free, tea is an ideal choice for those looking for a delicious drink that fits perfectly into a healthy diet." Other foods and food components on Dr. Blumberg's list include whole grains, brightly colored fruits and vegetables, soy products, omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish like salmon and tuna) and red wine.