Drinking tea is a staple part of our daily routine. It heats us up as we shiver in the kitchen at 7am, it calms us down after a stressful day at work and apparently, it could help us live longer.

According to scientists, drinking green tea regularly is linked to living a longer and healthier life.

The study analysed 100,902 people who were split into two groups. All of the participants had no history of heart attack, cancer or strokes.

One group were habitual tea drinkers and the others were non-habitual tea drinkers.

The team discovered that the people who frequently drank green tea shortened their risk of heart attack and stroke by a massive 20 percent.

The team believes that a 50-year-old who drinks green tea regularly lengthens their life span by 1.26 years.

Dr Xinyan Wang of the Chinese Academy of Medical Science in Beijing, commented: “Habitual tea consumption is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death. The favourable health effects are the most robust for green tea and for long-term habitual tea drinkers.”

The beverage is full of polyphenols which help protect against cardiovascular disease.

Green tea is also enriched with antioxidants for clear skin, and metabolism-boosting properties, it's no wonder it's such a popular beverage. 

It is important to note that this study was conducted in China, where green tea is the most popular hot drink. Researchers stressed that the results are only linked to drinking two cups of green tea per week.