From correspondents in New South Wales, Australia, 12:31 PM IST

Drinking a cup of green tea once a week can significantly cut down the risk of stroke, says a new study.

The study by Curtin University of Technology (CUT) looked at the green tea consumption of patients who had suffered a stroke in southern China.

Researchers looked at the amount of tea leaf consumed, how long the patients had been

drinking green tea and how much they consumed per day, said a CUT release.

A significant decrease in ischemic stroke (when an artery to the brain is blocked) risk was observed for those who drank at least one cup of tea per week. The risk reduction was largest for those who drank one to two cups of green or oolong tea daily.

These findings were published in Stroke.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)