Most people can’t function without a cup of coffee, especially in the morning. But have you ever considered replacing your cup of joe with hot tea?

Unlike coffee that causes the jitters, especially if you’ve had more than a cup or two, drinking tea can help you stay awake without making your heart race.

According to a study published in the British Journal of Opthalmology, drinking at least one cup of hot tea daily can also lower your risk of developing glaucoma.

The study, which was conducted by scientists from the University of California, involved volunteers who consumed hot tea at least once per day. Findings showed that regular tea drinkers enjoy an incredible health benefit: They are 74 percent less likely to develop a condition called glaucoma.

Strangely enough, other beverages such as coffee, iced tea and soda didn’t improve the eye health of the participants.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a complex disease that affects at least 2.72 million individuals in the U.S. alone. The World Health Organization reports that glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.

A person with glaucoma experiences interocular pressure, or a buildup of fluid pressure in their eye. This pressure can cause damage to your optic nerve.

There are two major types of glaucoma:

• Primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma. This glaucoma happens gradually, and your eye can’t drain fluid properly. This results in the buildup of eye pressure that damages your optic nerve. Primary open-angle glaucoma is painless and doesn’t cause vision changes as the condition develops.
• Angle-closure glaucoma (closed-angle glaucoma or narrow-angle glaucoma) occurs when your iris is very close to the drainage angle in your eye. The iris can block the drainage angle. Once the drainage angle is completely blocked, the pressure in your eye will rise very quickly during an acute attack. If an acute attack isn’t addressed immediately, you can lose your eyesight.

Tea-drinking habits and glaucoma risk

For the study, researchers analyzed information gleaned from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), an annual survey done in the U.S. The NHANES aims to collate data and tests to provide an accurate picture of the health and nutritional status of adults and children.

The researchers reported that out of the 10,000 people involved in the annual survey, about 1,678 had full eye test results. Findings showed that 84 of the adult participants have developed glaucoma.

Meanwhile, almost half of the participants reported drinking coffee often. Only less than 10 percent drank hot tea daily.

“Tea drinkers should keep drinking and don’t need to stop because of a fear of glaucoma,” lead author Dr. Anne Coleman said. “This makes sense, but we’ll see if it holds up in future studies.”

Benefits of drinking tea

Tea, particularly green tea, is rich in antioxidants that have powerful benefits for the human body. Here are some benefits consuming green tea offers for our bodies.

• It contains bioactive compounds — Green tea contains loads of important nutrients. Some of these include polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which are powerful antioxidants. These nutrients aid in reducing the number of harmful free radicals in our body, as well as protect our cells and molecules from damage.
• It can improve brain function — Green tea is a stimulant. It contains just the right amount of caffeine to keep you awake without making you feel jittery. Green tea also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which can increase dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain. Alpha waves indicate calmness and relaxation.
• It increases fat burning and physical performance — Green tea has been shown to increase metabolism and short-term fat burning.
• It contains antioxidants that may lower the risk of certain cancers — Green tea contains potent antioxidants that are known to combat developing cancer cells, particularly of the breast, prostate and colorectal varieties.
• It may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in old age — According to animal studies, the catechin compounds in green tea can protect neurons and decrease the likelihood of developing conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
• It can kill bacteria in your mouth and improve dental health — The polyphenols in green tea, most notably catechins, can kill harmful bacteria in the mouth. Green tea may also reduce bad breath.
• It may lower the risk of getting Type-2 diabetes – Green tea has been known to reduce blood sugar levels — a usual problem for those living with diabetes.

Quit the sugary drinks and enjoy a soothing cup of hot tea at least once a day to boost your eye health and lower your risk of developing glaucoma.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

AAO.org

BMJ.com

Reuters.com

Healthline.com