How coffee or soda can raise stroke risk, while tea reduces it

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware! It could significantly increase the risk of stroke, according to newly released research. Drinking four cups of coffee per day increases the risk of stroke, the researchers found, while drinking 3-4 cups per day of black tea or green tea generally protects against stroke.

Fizzy drinks consumption linked to higher stroke risk
According to new findings from global research studies co-led by University of Galway, in collaboration with McMaster University Canada and an international network of stroke researchers, fizzy drinks – including both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened such as diet or zero sugar – were linked with a 22 percent increased chance of stroke. Moreover, the risk increased sharply with two or more of these drinks a day.

Other findings
The link between fizzy drinks and chance of stroke was greatest in Eastern/Central Europe and Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women show the greatest increased chance of stroke due to bleeding (intracranial haemorrhage) linked to fruit juice/drinks. Drinking more than 7 cups of water a day was linked with a reduced odds of stroke caused by a clot.

Moreover, the research also noted that many products marketed as fruit juice are made from concentrates and contain added sugars and preservatives, which may offset the benefits usually linked with fresh fruit, and actually increase stroke risk. Fruit juice drinks were linked with a 37 percent increase in chance of stroke due to bleeding (intracranial haemorrhage). With two of these drinks a day, the risk triples.

Drinking coffee vs tea
Drinking more than four cups of coffee a day increased chance of stroke by 37 percent, but not associated with stroke risk for lower intakes. In contrast, drinking tea was linked with a reduced chance of stroke by 18-20 percent. Moreover, drinking 3-4 cups per day of black tea – including Breakfast and Earl Grey teas, but not green tea or herbal teas – was linked with a 29 percent lower chance of stroke.

Drinking 3-4 cups per day of green tea was linked with a 27 percent lower chance of stroke. Interestingly, adding milk may reduce or block the beneficial effects of antioxidants that can be found in tea. The reduced chance of stroke from drinking tea was lost for those that added milk.