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DRINKING at least three cups of tea a day can slash the risk of diabetes by almost half.

That is the conclusion of a ground-breaking study of more than 40,000 people whose ­consumption was monitored for 10 years.

Scientists discovered that chemicals found in all types of tea cut the dangers of developing type 2 ­diabetes by 42 per cent. Drinking more than three cups did not reduce the risk any further.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically in the past decade as Britons’ unhealthy lifestyle has led to a huge rise in obesity.

More than 2.3million people in the UK have been diagnosed with the condition and doctors believe there are a further 500,000 who have it but are ­unaware of the fact. Symptoms include tiredness, blurred vision and constant thirst.

As well as being overweight, risk factors include lack of exercise, heavy drinking and smoking. The study was carried out by a team of Dutch researchers from the University Medical Centre in Utrecht. They got participants to fill in a daily food questionnaire.

It was already known that drinking coffee reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes but the similar effects of regularly drinking tea were previously unknown.

The team concluded: “Consumption of at least three cups of tea and/or coffee was associated with a lowered risk of type 2 diabetes. Blood pressure and intake of magnesium, potassium and caffeine did not explain these associations.”

Instead, the beneficial effects in tea were probably explained by “flavonoid antioxidants” which are found in every cup.

Dr Carrie Ruxton, of Britain’s Tea Advisory Panel, said: “The study did not distinguish between black and green tea, but 95 per cent of tea drunk in the Netherlands is black tea, that is regular tea.

The results remained the same even when the researchers accounted for other factors which might have influenced diabetes risk, such as body mass index, blood pressure, caffeine, dietary magnesium and potassium.