Paris: Herbal tea rich in antioxidants may halve the risk of breast cancer, according to research based on 4,400 women.

The women were all cancer-free at the start of the study, but by the end nearly 100 breast cancers had been diagnosed in the study by the French institute, Supplèmentation en Vitamines et Minèraux Antioxydants.

Analysis of the women’s diets found that those who had been drinking herbal teas, , had a 57 per cent lower risk than non-drinkers.

The study also showed that drinking ordinary tea, coffee, fruit juice or wine is not linked with risk for developing breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in developed countries with around one in nine women developing the disease.