National Geographic fellow and author Dan Buettner has shared the drink that could add four 'extra healthy' years to our lives and how often we need to consume it to see the effects.
The explorer and educator, 63, recently took to Instagram to share that drinking as little as three cups of Green tea a day could make a difference to our healthy life expectancy
Buettner has become well known for his research into five "blue" zones across the world where inhabitants regularly live well into their old age.
One of these regions - the Nicoya Peninsula - has the lowest rate of middle-age mortality in the world", according to the New York Times bestselling author.
How many cups of Green tea should you have a day?
Speaking on Jay Shetty's Podcast ON Purpose, Buettner said: "Seven is ideal but as little as three cups of Green tea a day is associated with four extra years of healthy life expectancy".
The expert admitted that we currently don't know why this is but he suggested it could be due to the antioxidants.
The author elaborated: "There's probably 1500 in Green tea, we don't know for sure.
"Green tea has been around for a long time and it is consumed daily in volume by at least two of these blue zones.
"It's one of these things of rather than turn to the superfood or the super beverage - why not drink from what we have learned from our ancestors who've achieved the outcomes we want which is a long and healthy life?"
Previously, Dan Buettner shared his advice on the three foods you should incorporate into your diet to help you live a longer life.
He called on people to take note of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica and three foods that form a prominent part of this region's diet.
Recommended reading
- The exercise that 'will increase your chances of living into your 90s and 100s'
- Does tea have more caffeine than coffee? See which tea has the highest amount
- These top 3 foods 'will increase your chances of living past 90'
Nicoyans are likely to live well past middle age which Buettner largely attributes to "the best diet human beings have ever invented."
"Their diet is composed of three foods that I would argue are the best diet human beings have ever invented," Buettner commented.
The explorer continued: "Because of these foods, the people living on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica are two and half times more likely to reach the age of 92 than people living in the United States or Europe."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here