Tea is a beloved beverage around the world, not only for its soothing nature but also for its numerous health benefits. While all teas offer a host of perks, if you’re concerned about your heart health you may be wondering about the best teas for heart disease. Which should you choose?
“Tea is a great healthy beverage option for my patients,” says Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. “It is rich in polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can improve blood vessel function and potentially be beneficial to heart health.”
Meet the experts: Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, Calif.; Vicki Koenig, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., a master’s-level registered dietitian in New Paltz, N.Y.
Read on for the teas you should sip if you’re at an increased risk for heart disease, plus the key considerations to keep in mind as you drink.
Best teas for heart disease
Research published in the journal Epidemiology and Health that analyzed data on nearly two million people found that drinking 1.5 to 2 cups of tea per day was associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, or from any cause compared to not drinking any tea at all. In other words, merely choosing to drink tea over a different beverage is likely good for your heart. Still, different types of tea offer slightly different benefits. Here are the most powerful ones you should know about.
Green tea
“My favorite tea to recommend for health is green tea,” says Vicki Koenig, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., a master’s-level registered dietitian in New Paltz, N.Y. “Green tea contains catechins, which have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.” According to research, these catechins may go far towards supporting heart health. A review and meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that drinking green tea significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, while a separate review in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases showed that drinking two to three cups of green tea per day may be associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
Koenig notes that green tea may negatively interact with blood thinners, though this only tends to be true with large amounts of green tea. “It’s best to keep it to two to four cups per day and not more,” she says. Green tea also contains some caffeine, so it’s best not to consume it with other stimulants.
Black tea
Like green tea, black tea is rich in beneficial phytochemicals that may support heart health, says Dr. Chen. Per UCLA Health, these include flavonoids and theaflavins, a type of polyphenol only found in black tea, which may moderately help lower blood pressure and offer protection from chronic illnesses like heart disease. In fact, a 2026 review in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases found that the more black tea you drink, the lower your risk of developing coronary heart disease.
“Black tea will have a higher caffeine content than green tea,” notes Dr. Chen. “Excessive intake of caffeine could increase risk for people with certain heart conditions. I would recommend staying under four cups a day for most people.”
Hibiscus tea
“Another tea that is gaining interest is hibiscus,” says Koenig. This herbal tea is light and fruity, making it an excellent option for people who aren’t fans of the earthier flavors of black and green tea. Plus, it seems to also offer benefits for heart health. A review in Complementary Therapies in Medicine determined that hibiscus tea reduces blood pressure, especially in people over 50, plus lowers total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
Since it’s an herbal tea, hibiscus is naturally caffeine-free, making it safe to sip for anyone who needs to avoid consuming too much caffeine. However, it has also been shown to interact with medications prescribed for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so it’s important to talk to your doctor before drinking too much of it.
Oolong tea
Sitting right between green tea and black tea in terms of flavor and caffeine content is oolong tea. Since it’s made from the same plant (the Camellia sinensis) as green and black tea, oolong contains many of the same beneficial nutrients—it’s just not as popular and thus hasn’t been studied as much. Still, research in Frontiers in Nutrition notes that while high intake of green or black tea has sometimes been associated with increases in homocysteine, a key biomarker for heart disease risk, oolong tea has not. And furthermore, the theaflavins in oolong may help protect blood vessels from damage caused by homocysteine, supporting heart health.
Oolong tea carries the same medication interaction risks as green and black tea, so it’s important to be careful before increasing your intake too much.
The bottom line
Tea is a smart and healthy drink option for people concerned about their heart health or heart disease risk, especially if it’s replacing sugary alternatives like soda. That said, “it is important not to add too much cream or sugar to the drink, as the extra sugar and fat could negate the beneficial effect of the tea,” Dr. Chen says. In addition, be sure to check with a healthcare provider if you’re taking any medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, or heart disease before making tea a frequent part of your diet. While interactions tend to happen only with very high consumption, it’s always best to get the OK. Once you do, you can make tea a beneficial part of your heart-healthy diet.
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