In September 2006 a Japanese study into the benefits of Green tea was published. The study looked at data from over 40,000 Japanese men and women. Over an 11-year period it found that compared with people who drank less than one cup per day of green tea, those who consumed five or more had a 16% lower risk of dying from any cause during the study.They also had a 26% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease in the seven years of follow-up.

Numerous studies have suggested the benefits of drinking both green and black tea and they often suggest that the antioxidants in tea are the main reason for the benefits. However a new study now suggests that adding milk to your tea may neutralize the benefits.

In January 2007, Mario Lorenz, a molecular biologist at Charite Hospital at the University of Berlin published a study that showed drinking tea significantly increased the ability of the artery, to relax and expand, to accommodate increased blood flow compared with drinking water, however the addition of milk completely prevented the effect.

In the study, 16 healthy women aged 50 or more drank either half a liter of freshly brewed black Darjeeling tea, black tea with 10 per cent skimmed milk or boiled water as a control. Researchers measured the endothelial function of the brachial artery in forearm using high-resolution ultrasound before and after the drinks were consumed. Measurements were taken every 15 seconds for up to two minutes each.

In other studies tests on rats also showed that rodents given black tea produced more nitric oxide, which promotes dilation of blood vessels. The effect did not happen when milk was added to the tea.

For many in the natural health field, that adding milk to tea would be bad, would not come as a great surprise. The consumption of cows milk has long been held to have negative health effects ranging from increased mucus production to being the main cause of Crohn's Disease (a serious inflammatory bowel disease.) Many people, especially of Asian decent, have an in tolerance to lactose in the milk. And many that can tolerate it when younger, develop an intolerance as they age.

Research into the problems with milk is full of inconsistencies and most Western Medical Authorities still promote milk as a very healthy food especially for women and children.