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Beloved gardener Monty Don is a fan of a good, strong, traditional brew. In a recent interview, he disclosed that he starts each morning with a cup of black tea: "I'm perfectly happy with PG Tips."

Monty kicks off his day with a glass of hot water from his Aga, followed by a cup of black tea and "yoghurt with fruit from the garden" for breakfast. At around 11am he treats himself to a coffee, his "single cup of coffee a day", which he prefers "large and strong". Monty said: "I really enjoy breakfast and often have yoghurt with fruit from the garden and honey from our bees.

"Or I might have eggs from our chickens with homegrown chillies. I have lots of strong tea - I'm perfectly happy with PG Tips," he told The Times.

When it comes to herbal alternatives, the presenter likes fresh mint and lemon verbena. Yet black tea remains an excellent healthy morning choice, and has been associated with a longer life.

Experts at UCLA Health said that black tea carries a wealth of health benefits, including supporting heart health and cutting the risk of stroke. This is attributed to the theaflavins found in black tea, which "help to lower blood cholesterol".

Black tea is also beneficial in regulating blood sugar levels, "decreasing blood glucose and improving your body's ability to manage sugar".

Consuming at least two cups of black tea each day "lowers the risk of death from any cause by almost 13% compared to people who do not drink tea, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke".

Experts at Harvard Medical School said that black tea supports longevity and is "associated with a longer life" due to the numerous health benefits of theaflavins.