Great Tea INformation

Tea is Good for You


Hardly a week goes by without news of yet another research study confirming the health benefits of tea. Here's a summary of the recent findings.


Aging

Drinking tea leads to fewer signs of aging.

Mice which were fed tea displayed fewer signs of ageing than mice that were fed water, with oolong tea showing significantly better results than green teaIf you are the type to fret over the appearance of wrinkles, age spots and other signs of growing old, oolong tea may be the answer to your worries. Details of the study, conducted jointly by scientists from America, Taiwan and Tokushima University in Japan, were given at the 17th International Congress of Nutrition in Vienna, Austria late last month. In the experiment, groups of six-month-old 'senescence-accelerated mice' (SAMs) were separately fed water, green tea and oolong tea over a 16-week period. SAMs age twice as quickly as ordinary laboratory mice. Checking hair loss, age spots, the condition of skin around the eyes and other indicators of ageing, the scientists found that male SAMs which were fed tea displayed fewer signs of ageing than mice that were fed water, with oolong tea showing significantly better results than green tea. The Straits Times, Sept. 24, 01

Allergies

Tea: allergy fighter!

Green tea shows promise as an allergy fighter"The wonder cup just got even more wonderful. Green tea, rich in antioxidant treasures that protect against heart disease and cancer, now shows promise as an allergy fighter. In laboratory tests, Japanese researchers have found that the antioxidants in green tea, block the biochemical process involved in producing an allergic response. Green tea may be useful against a wide range of sneeze-starting allergens, including pollen, pet dander, and dust." Prevention, April 2003

Alzheimer's Disease

Improve the memory and help prevent the disease.

Drinking Tea Might Delay Alzheimer's Disease3-4 cups of tea daily can improve the memory and help prevent Alzheimer's disease. The research team, based at Newcastle University's Medicinal Plant Research Center, investigated the properties of green and black tea, as well as coffee, in a series of laboratory experiments. The results showed that both types of tea inhibited the activity of enzymes associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. Coffee, however, had no significant effect. In fact, drinking tea appears to affect the brain in a similar way as drugs prescribed for Alzheimer's disease the UK researchers report. According to scientists black and green brews fight enzymes that destroy chemical messengers in the brain. They said: "It's exciting as tea is popular and inexpensive without side effects." Phytotherapy Research, August 2004

Chemical in Green Tea May Fight Alzheimer's.

Chemical in Green Tea May Fight Alzheimer'sAn ingredient in green tea that researchers think might fight cancer may also protect the brain from the memory-destroying Alzheimer's disease, a study released Tuesday said. Scientists injected mice with an antioxidant from green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and said it decreased production of beta-amyloid, a protein that forms the plaques that clog the brains of Alzheimer's victims. Several months of injections reduced plaque formation by as much as 54 percent, researchers from the University of South Florida wrote in the Journal of Neuroscience. The mice had been genetically programmed to develop an Alzheimer's-like disease. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Association, 9/20/2005

Green Tea's antioxidants can help prevent Alzheimer's Disease.

Chemical in Green Tea May Fight Alzheimer'sResearch shows green tea has many health benefits, especially as an antioxidant. Ingredients in green tea helps prevent the formation of B-amyloid, a protein whose accumulation is recognized as causing Alzheimer's. Drinking green tea can help with relaxation and concentration. South Bend Tribune April 13, 2010

Arthritis

Tea may help reduce inflammation and help arthritis.

Green tea may be useful in controlling inflammation from injury or diseases such as arthritis.Tea contains compounds that may help reduce inflammation and help arthritis. Scientists at Case Western University in Cleveland took two groups of mice and gave them injections of a substance that causes immune reactions similar to those due to rheumatoid arthritis. One group had regular water to drink and the other got water laced with polyphenols, chemicals found in green tea and, to a lesser extent in black tea. Nearly all the mice that drank regular water got arthritis-like symptoms, compared to less than half of the treated mice. Boston Globe, April 26, 1999

Tea benefits the arthritis patient!

Green tea reduces inflammation in arthritis patients.Green tea catechins are chondroprotective and that consumption of green tea may be prophylactic for arthritis and may benefit the arthritis patient by reducing inflammation and slowing cartilage breakdown. The Journal of Nutrition, Mar 2002

Bone Health

Tea Suitable for Bone Health

Tea Suitable for Bone HealthResarchers state that three fundamental chemicals found in green tea- EGC, GC, and GCG have a great impact on osteoblasts, or bone cells when exposed to these particular chemicals. The bone cells treated with these particular chemicals helped stimulate growth in comparison to other components. In addition to promoting growth of cells, there was significant increased in the amount of mineralization found in the osteoblasts. Natural food sources, such as tea help offer an economical solution to the management of osteoporosis. Journal of Chinese Medicine October 2009

Bone Strength

Tea may be a bone builder!

Tea flavonoids may be bone builders.Tea flavonoids may be bone builders. A report in this week's Archives of Internal Medicine looked at about 500 Chinese men and women who regularly drank black, green, or oolong tea for more than 10 years. Compared with nonhabitual tea drinkers, tea regulars had higher bone mineral densities, even after exercise and calcium-- which strengthen bones--were taken into account. U.S. News & World Report, May 20, 2002

Breath

Halitosis Alert!

...stop the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath..."Compounds found in tea can stop the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Polyphenols, which are chemical components of tea, prevent both the growth of bacteria responsible for bad breath and the bacteria's production of malodorous compounds, indicate Christine Wu, professor of periodontics and associate dean for research at the UIC College of Dentistry, and associate MinZhu. Bad breath-or halitosis-afflicts a large portion of the population. It is caused by foul-smelling volatile sulfur compounds, like hydrogen sulfide, produced by anaerobic bacteria that thrive in environments lacking oxygen, such as the back of the tongue and deep gum pockets. In the laboratory study, Wu and Zhu incubated tea polyphenols with three species of bacteria associated with bad breath for 48 hours. At concentrations ranging from 16 to 250 micrograms per milliliter, the polyphenols inhibited growth of the oral bacteria. Wu points out that the study complements earlier research in her laboratory showing that black tea suppresses the growth of bacteria in dental plaque and that rinsing with black tea reduces plaque formation and the production of acids that cause tooth decay. "Besides inhibiting the growth of pathogens in the mouth, black tea and its polyphenols may benefit human oral health by suppressing the [poor-smelling] compounds that these pathogens produce." USA Today, August 2003

Bad breath be gone!

Drinking tea may ward off tooth decay.A study suggests chemicals in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions. It raises the prospect of adding tea extracts to toothpaste and mouthwash to protect the teeth. It found that caffeinated green tea was the best at fighting viruses, followed by caffeinated black tea. Decaffeinated blends were less effective as anti-viral agents. BBC News, May 20 2003

Tea: Liquid confidence

Tea may freshen your breath.A University of Illinois study looked at chemicals in tea known as polyphenols. Experiments in the laboratory showed they slowed the growth of bacteria associated with bad breath. "Besides inhibiting the growth of pathogens in the mouth, black tea and its polyphenols may benefit human oral health by suppressing the bad-smelling compounds that these pathogens produce," according to Christine Wu in Chicago. BBC News, May 20 2003

Read this before you date!

Compounds found in tea can stop the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath"Compounds found in tea can stop the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Polyphenols, which are chemical components of tea, prevent both the growth of bacteria responsible for bad breath and the bacteria's production of malodorous compounds, indicate Christine Wu, professor of periodontics and associate dean for research at the UIC College of Dentistry, and associate MinZhu. Bad breath-or halitosis-afflicts a large portion of the population. It is caused by foul-smelling volatile sulfur compounds, like hydrogen sulfide, produced by anaerobic bacteria that thrive in environments lacking oxygen, such as the back of the tongue and deep gum pockets. In the laboratory study, Wu and Zhu incubated tea polyphenols with three species of bacteria associated with bad breath for 48 hours. At concentrations ranging from 16 to 250 micrograms per milliliter, the polyphenols inhibited growth of the oral bacteria. Wu points out that the study complements earlier research in her laboratory showing that black tea suppresses the growth of bacteria in dental plaque and that rinsing with black tea reduces plaque formation and the production of acids that cause tooth decay. "Besides inhibiting the growth of pathogens in the mouth, black tea and its polyphenols may benefit human oral health by suppressing the [poor-smelling] compounds that these pathogens produce." USA Today, August 2003

Cancer

Tea is one of the single best cancer fighters you can put in your body

Tea is one of the single best cancer fighters you can put in your body."Tea is one of the single best cancer fighters you can put in your body," according to Mitchell Gaynor, MD, director of medical oncology at the. world-renowned Strong Cancer Prevention Center in New York City and co-author of Dr. Gaynor's Cancer Prevention Program (Kensington Books, 1999. The latest tea discovery? Strong evidence that both green and black tea can fight cancer-at least in the test tube-though green tea holds a slight edge. In a new study, both teas kept healthy cells from turning malignant after exposure to cancer-causing compounds. Prevention, May 2000
Killing cancer cells through cups

People who drink about 4 cups of green tea a day seem to get less cancer. Now we may know why.In recent test-tube studies, a compound called EGCG, a powerful antioxidant in tea, inhibited an enzyme that cancer cells need in order to grow. The cancer cells that couldn't grow big enough to divide self-destructed. It would take about 4 cups of green tea a day to get the blood levels of EGCG that inhibited cancer in the study. Black tea also contains EGCG, but at much lower concentrations. Prevention, Aug 99

Lower risk of breast cancer

Green tea extract may prevent breast cancer cells from manufacturing the new blood vessels necessary to promote cancer cell growthWriting in a recent issue of the International Journal of Cancer, the USC researchers noted that the reduction in breast cancer risk among the green tea drinkers held true even among women who had a family history of breast cancer as well as among women who smoked or ate processed foods. Exercise habits - either good or bad - also did not play a role in the outcome for green tea drinkers. The conclusions of this study support the important results of a 2002 laboratory study. According to a report in Science News, researchers at the University of California and the University of Texas found that green tea extract may prevent breast cancer cells from manufacturing the new blood vessels necessary to promote cancer cell growth. If further research confirms these findings, it may help explain why the green tea drinkers in the USC study were at lower risk of breast cancer, regardless of other health, diet, and family history factors. Department of Preventive Medicine at USC, October 2003

Fighting against emerging cancer cells

Tea can fight against emerging cancer cells"American scientists have found that drinking five small cups of tea a day can help to boost the immune system and possibly fight against emerging cancer cells. The alkylamine antigens present in tea, are also found in some bacteria, parasites, tumor cells and fungi. When the human immune system has previously been exposed to the antigen (by drinking tea), a much greater defense response is initiated against the bacteria, parasite, tumor or fungi." Health & Hygiene, Summer 2003

Green tea fights bladder cancer
Study Shows How Green Tea May Fight Bladder CancerGreen tea extract may interfere with a process that helps early bladder cancer to spread throughout the body, new laboratory research suggests. The findings, say researchers, bolster ongoing studies into green tea extract as a cancer treatment -- and may give green tea drinkers more reason to savor every cup. The investigators found that when they exposed human bladder cells to both a cancer-causing chemical and green tea extract, the extract interfered with a particular process by which early cancer cells become invasive and spread throughout body tissue. This process involves the "remodeling" of actin, a structural protein in cells that is essential for cell movement. Actin remodeling allows cancer cells to move and invade nearby healthy tissue. Based on the new findings, green tea extract may get in the way of this process by activating a protein known as Rho, which helps regulate actin's organization in cells and has been implicated in tumor development and progression. Clinical Cancer Research, Feb 2005

Learn how green tea fights cance
Compound can prevent diseased cells from growingSpanish and British scientists have discovered how green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer. Researchers at the University of Murcia in Spain and the John Innes Center in Norwich, England have shown that a compound called EGCG in green tea prevents cancer cells from growing by binding to a specific enzyme. "We have shown for the first time that EGCG, which is present in green tea at relatively high concentrations, inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase, which is a recognized, established target for anti-cancer drugs," Professor Roger Thorneley, of JIC, told Reuters. "This is the first time, to our knowledge, a known target for an anti-cancer drug has been identified as being inhibited by EGCG," he added. Green tea has about five times as much EGCG as regular tea, studies have shown. It decreased rates of certain cancers but scientists were not sure what compounds were involved or how they worked. Nor had they determined how much green tea a person would have to drink to have a beneficial effect, he said. Reuters, Mar 2005

Green tea extract 'is cancer aid'

Green tea extract 'is cancer aid'A green tea extract may help patients with a form of leukaemia, a study says. The tea, discovered in China nearly 5,000 years ago, has long been thought to have health benefits. But the team from the Mayo Clinic in the US found it appeared to improve the condition of four patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). BBC News Dec 22, 2005

Green Tea Catechins and Cancer Therapy
Green Tea Catechins and Cancer TherapyDNA and RNA are binding targets of green tea catechins, revealing their potential use in cancer therapy. "The significance of catechins, the main constituent of green tea, is being increasingly recognized with regard to cancer prevention. Catechins have been studied for interactions with various proteins, but the mechanisms of the various catechins are not yet elucidated," investigators in Japan reported. Drug Week, 8/18/06

Effects of various tea components on neoplastic cell transformation and carcinogenesis

Effects of various tea components on neoplastic cell transformation and carcinogenesis"Accumulating research evidence suggests that many of dietary factors, including tea compounds, may be used alone or in combination with traditional chemotherapeutic agents to prevent or treat cancer. The potential advantage of many natural or dietary compounds seems to focus on their potent anticancer activity combined with low toxicity and very few adverse side effects." Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week, 8/12/0

Lower Risk of Various Cancer

Lower Risk of Various CancerA study conducted in Japan found that increased green tea consumption before and after breast cancer surgery was associated with lower recurrence of the cancers. Studies in China show that the more green tea participants drank, the less the risk of developing stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colon cancer. Web MD April 28, 2009

Tea to Help Lower Risks of Lung Cancer

Tea to Help Lower Risks of Lung CancerResults from research showed that both smokers and non-smokers who did not drink green tea were 5 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared to those who drank at least one cup of green tea per day. Smokers who did not drink green tea at all were more than 12 times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who drank at least one cup a day. Green tea's cancer fight capabilities are due to its rich concentration of polyphenols, notably a catechin called epiqgallocatechin-3-gallate, or as it's more commonly known as ECGC. The studies don't change the fact that smoking is bad for your health, and tea should not be an excuse to continue smoking. Bnet March 30, 2010

Cholesterol

Cholesterol-Fighter found
...tea extract cut total cholesterol by 11%...Failed at cutting your cholesterol with a low-fat diet? Try tea. New research confirms that extracts of black tea-the kind you get in Lipton or Tetley-can help reduce cholesterol. And now experts know why. Researchers at Vanderbilt University tested 240 people with mild to moderate high cholesterol who were on a low-fat diet. Half took a daily black tea extract with polyphenols called theaflavins (equal to 7 cups); the other half took a placebo. After 12 weeks, those on and LDL-the bad cholesterol-by an amazing 16%, compared with no change in the other group. "Over time, that could translate into a 16 to 24% reduction in risk of heart attack and stroke," says David Maron, MD, cardiologist and lead researcher. "Black tea theaflavins may help people who can't lower their LDL enough with diet alone, but whose level isn't high enough for drugs," says Maron. Prevention Magazine, Nov 2003

Tea lowers cholesterol level
Tea can lower 'bad' cholesterol levels, boost cardiovascular health, reduce DNA damage in smokers and contribute to a decrease in risk of rectal cancer in women.Researchers at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, asked test subjects to eat low-fat, low-calorie prepared meals and drink five cups of caffeinated tea or caffeinated and non-caffeinated placebos that mimicked the look of tea. Levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol dropped 10 percent among the test subjects who drank tea. Vegetarian Times, Jan 2003

"Good" cholesterols are unaffected
Black tea consumption may lower bad cholesterol levels and could one day be used to help reduce the chance of heart disease for those at risk.Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (news - web sites) said they found consumers who drank black tea for three weeks experienced a decrease of between 7 percent and 11 percent in their low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or so-called bad cholesterol. Exactly what caused the LDL cholesterol level to drop in those who consumed tea was unknown, but tests are being conducted to determine if the beverage slows the body's ability to absorb LDL cholesterol, the scientists said. There was no effect on the level of high-density lipoprotein, or the good type of cholesterol, according to the study of a small group of individuals. Washington (Reuters), October 2003

A profound inhibitory effect

Green tea consumption lowers cholesterol.The findings provide direct evidence that green tea has a profound inhibitory effect on the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. The Journal of Nutrition, Jun 2002

Dermatology

A safe and beneficial treatment for rosacea
Green Tea Helps Reduce Red in RosaceaGreen tea already is a favorite among fans of "natural" medicinal products. Now a cream made from an extract of freshly baked green tea leaves may be an effective treatment for a type of acne called papulopustular rosacea. Women treated with the green tea extract cream had a 70% improvement in rosacea compared with women treated with a placebo says Tanweer Syed, MD, PhD, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of San Francisco, Calif., who developed the tea extract. The study was presented at the American Academy of Dermatology meeting in San Francisco. RosaceaRosacea is a common skin condition which develops in phases. Typically, it starts with a tendency to blush -- rosy cheeks or redness and swelling in the center of the face which can progress to papulopustular rosacea. Tiny pimples begin to appear in and around the red areas. Treatment can control the symptoms and prevent the condition from getting worse. Untreated, the condition can lead to chronic inflammation; the nose takes on the appearance of becoming red and enlarged. Syed tested the green tea extract cream in 60 women aged 25 to 50. All had visible signs of rosacea with papules and pustules as well as redness and swelling. American Academy of Dermatology, February 2005
Green tea can help with skin care
Green tea can help with skin careGreen tea contains amino acids, Vitamins B1, B2 and B3, Vitamins C, E, F, P and U, and several different minerals. Of course, all of these promote good health but the specific ingredients that make green tea good for skin care treatment are polyphenols � natural chemical substances found in plants, and thought to be very high in antioxidants. What can anti-oxidants do for you? The major benefit is that they kill free radicals, those nasty little cells that can cause cancer by altering the DNA. Including skin cancer. So, any product you can get your hands on that includes green tea might be beneficial. July 2007 The National Skin Care Institute

Diabetes

Oolong helps combat type 2 diabetes
Oolong tea may be an effective adjunct to oral hypoglycemic agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes"Oolong tea is effective in lowering the plasma glucose levels of subjects who have type 2 diabetes and who take oral amihyperglycemic agents. Oolong tea, in conjunction with antihyperglycemic agents, was more effective in lowering plasma glucose than were the drugs alone." Diabetes Care, June 2003

Green Tea Can Help Battle Diabetes

Green Tea Can Help Battle DiabetesA compound found in Green Tea, epigallocatechin gallate (ECGC), was found to help moderately diabetic mice produce insulin and battle sugar levels. Though less potent than prescribed drugs, ECGC was able to register effects to produce beneficial results. China Post, September 2007

Tea Consumption Can Help Decrease the Risk of Developing Type 1

Tea Consumption Can Help Decrease the Risk of Developing Type 1In recent studies, researchers found that those drinking three to four cups of tea each day lowered their risk of diabetes by about 1/5 compared to those who didn�t drink tea. Studies show that it could be due to the components found in tea such as magnesium, lignans, and chlorogenic acids that assist the body in warding off diabetes risks. Health.com December 14, 2009

Eye Health

Green Tea Can Help Senior's Eye Health
Green Tea Can Help Senior's Eye HealthResearchers in Hong Kong have discovered that seniors who consume green tea refreshment may also enjoy better eye health. Results of the research state that green tea consumption could benefit the eye against oxidative stress, due to the catechins, an antioxidant, found in green tea. This antioxidant can be absorbed by the lens, retina, and eye tissue. Retirement Homes April 21, 2010

Green Tea Can Aid in the Prevention of Glaucoma

Green Tea Can Aid in the Prevention of GlaucomaResearchers have found that the catechins in green tea are one of the many antioxidants that have been found to protect the eye from certain diseases, including glaucoma. This antioxidants is absorbed into the tissue of the eye after passing through the gastrointestinal tract and the retina is shown to absorb the highest amount of catechins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry April 21, 201

General Health

Is Tea is Healthier than Water?

Is Tea is Healthier than Water?Drinking three of more cups a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water, and it may hav extra health benefits. Experts believe that flavonoids are one of the key ingredients in tea that promotes health; these antioxidants are found in tea and can help prevent cell damage. Daily Nation April 26, 2010

Tea Provides the Body with Plenty of Energy for Exercise
Tea Provides the Body with Plenty of Energy for ExerciseGood news for caffeine lovers! Caffeine, including the caffeine in tea, can be the perfect complement to your workouts. Several recent studies have found that a small dose before exercising helps improve performance. Post-exercise, a few cups of caffeinated tea can help your muscles recover more quickly. It seems that caffeine may speed up the blood�s transportation of glucose to the muscles. Health Magazine December 15, 2009

Can you drink too much tea?

Can you drink too much tea?The worst things that could happen from drinking too much tea, according to the integrative-medicine physician, are fluid overload, caffeine sensitivity (though green or black teas contain only 10 to 30 milligrams of caffeine per cup, whereas coffee contains 100 to 120 milligrams) or anemia (low blood-iron levels) due to tea binding with iron. So here's a hint: Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron, so drop a wedge of lemon in your tea. Chicago Tribune, 8/15/0

Black Tea Remedy for Food Poisoning

Black Tea Remedy for Food PoisoningIf you suspect food poisoning, couple black tea with a few pieces of burned toast, says Georgianna Donadio, PhD, director of the National Institute of Whole Health, a holistic certification program for medical professionals. "The tannic acid in tea and charcoal in the toast will neutralize the toxins and help you get much better very quickly." Prevention, 9/2006

Heart Disease

Drinking black tea may help blood pressure

Drinking black tea may help blood pressure Drinking black tea may lower the risk of heart disease because it prevents blood from clumping and forming clots. In a recent study, researchers found that while drinking black tea, the participants had lower levels of the blood protein associated with coagulation. Better Nutrition, Jan 2002

Three cups for the heart

Tea consumption linked to reduced risk of myocardial infarction.Drinking more than three cups of black tea daily appears to reduce a patient's risk of myocardial infarction (MI), according to a longitudinal, population-based study. Researchers analyzed the tea consumption of 4,807 men and women ages 55 and older. They found that the risk of MI among those who consumed more than three cups of tea daily was about half that of non-tea drinkers. RN, Jun 2002

Surviving through tea

Tea may reduce a person's risk of dying after a heart attack.According to a recent report, drinking lots of tea may reduce a person's risk of dying after a heart attack. Scientists found that participants who drank the most tea were the least likely to die during the three or four years after a heart attack. Medical Update, January 2002

"Better to be deprived of food for three days than tea for one"

After a heart-attack, tea reduces the risk of dying by 44 percent.Better to be deprived of food for three days than tea for one," says a Chinese proverb. Research is showing it may just be true. Last week Dr. Kenneth Mukamal of Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center reported that out of i,900 heart-attack patients, those who drank two or more cups a day reduced their risks of dying over the next 3.8 years by 44 percent. Newsweek, May 20, 2002

Lowering the risk of heart attack

Drinking at least 8 ounces of tea a day --- whether hot or cold --- appears to cut the risk of heart attack by 44 percent.In a 1998 study, Harvard University researchers found that drinking one cup of black tea a day lowered the risk of heart attack by as much as 44 percent compared with non-tea drinkers, and other studies have suggested that the antioxidants in these so-called real teas can also prevent cancer. The Atlanta Journal, July 9, 99

People who drank tea regularly had lower blood pressure than those who did not

People who drank tea regularly had lower blood pressure than those who did not"blood pressure measurements were lower among the tea drinkers. The researchers calculated that the odds of developing hypertension were cut almost in half among those who drank one small cup a day, and by about two-thirds among those who drank 20 ounces or more daily. There was no difference between those who drank green and black tea." New York Times, July 27, 2004

Hibiscus can help lower blood pressure

Hibiscus can help lower blood pressureStudies show Hibiscus sabdariffa L., an ingredient found in many herbal tea blends has antioxidant properties, and have demonstrated antihypertensive properties. These results suggest daily consumption of hibiscus tea, in an amount readily incorporated into the diet, lowers BP in pre- and mildly hypertensive adults and may prove an effective component of the dietary changes recommended for people with these conditions. The Journal of Nutrition December 16, 2009

Green tea consumption cuts risk of cardiovascular disease

Green tea consumption cuts risk of cardiovascular diseaseA recent study carried out by researchers from Okayama University has shown that frequent consumption of green tea could contribute to lowering mortality due to cardiovascular disease. When the researchers compared tea consumption between people who drank one cup a days as opposed to seven or more cups a day, it was found that people who consumed more tea had a 55 and 75% lower risk of cause and mortality of CVD. BNet October 2009

Immune Strength

Stave off a Cold

...tea may help prevent or lessen the severity of... conditionsTake frequent tea breaks this winter, and you may just get through it without a sniffle. Immunologists at Harvard University discovered that people who drank five cups of black tea a day for 2 weeks transformed their immune system T cells into "Hulk cells" that pumped out 10 times more cold and flu virus-fighting interferon than did the immune systems of those who didn't drink black tea. Green tea should work just as well. "Not just the common cold and flu, but food poisoning, infected cuts, athlete's foot-even diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria-are caused by germs that your body fights with interferon. We think the interferon boosts from tea may help prevent or lessen the severity of all these conditions," says Jack Bukowski, MD, PhD. While five cups a day may seem like a lot, he thinks fewer cups may still offer some valuable protection. "And the interferon link may explain tea's other health benefits, including its reported cancer-fighting power, since we already know that interferon slows the growth of tumor cells," says Bukowski. Prevention Magazine October 2003

More Good News
drinking tea boosts the immune system's first line of defense against infectionResults of a new study suggest that drinking tea boosts the immune system's first line of defense against infection. Researchers from Harvard Medical School asked volunteers who normally consume neither tea nor coffee to drink five to six cups of tea or instant coffee for two or four weeks. Afterward, blood tests showed tea drinkers' immune systems reacted against bacteria five times better than the immune systems of coffee drinkers. The tea seems to have helped make interferon gamma, an immune system protein. Next, the research team will study whether drinking tea actually protects people from getting sick. Another study, in mice, showed that animals genetically engineered to develop prostate cancer and fed the equivalent of about six cups of tea a day didn't develop tumors. No one knows if drinking tea will have the same effect in humans, but researchers noted that the tea-drinking country of China has the lowest prostate cancer rate in the world. Results of both studies were reported at the American Chemical Society meeting on September 8, 2003. American Chemical Society September 2003

EGCG, a powerful antioxidant

Both green and black teas might prevent cancer, heart disease and arthritis.In recent test-tube studies, a compound called EGCG, a powerful antioxidant in tea, inhibited an enzyme that cancer cells need in order to grow. The cancer cells that couldn't grow big enough to divide self-destructed. It would take about 4 cups of green tea a day to get the blood levels of EGCG that inhibited cancer in the study. Black tea also contains EGCG, but at much lower concentrations. USA Today, Feb 2, 2000

Sharpen the body's disease defenses

Tea helps fight infection"The [study] results gave clear proof that five cups of tea a day sharpened the body's disease defenses, said Dr. Jack F. Bukowski, a researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Bukowski and his co-authors isolated a substance called L-theanine from ordinary black tea. He said L-theanine was broken down in the liver to ethylamine, a molecule that primes the response of an immune system element called the gamma-delta T cell." New York Times, April 22, 2003

Drink a cup of tea - or four

Drink a cup of tea - or four"You don't have to be a doctor to know that tea can soothe a scratchy throat, ease a headache or simply take the edge off a long, hard day. But scientists have recently found other reasons for us all to drink a cup of tea - or four. Numerous studies show that its benefits, while not fully understood, are very real: tea combats heart disease, lowers cholesterol and staves off several types of cancer while protecting skin and strengthening bones and teeth." Town and Country, June 2003
Matcha, matcha-man!!

Matcha green tea has many antioxidants.For years, studies have indicated that the antioxidants in green tea offer protection against diseases, including cancer, and even fight dental cavities. One of the most beneficial of these antioxidants is called epigallocatechin gallate. At the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, [scientiest] used the chemical separation technique known as micellar electrokinetic chromatography to analyze matcha and a green tea commonly available in U.S. markets. The researchers found that samples of matcha had 200 times the concentration of epigallocatechin gallate in the common U.S. tea. Although most green teas are prepared in the familiar way-by steeping leaves in water-matcha is prepared by mixing hot water with powdered leaves. This is probably why matcha contains so much epigallocatechin gallate. Science News, Apr 12, 2003

Finally! Ice tea's praise!

Finally! Ice tea's praise!Even convenience iced teas contained at least as many antioxidants as fruits and veggies such as strawberries and spinach! Prevention, Jun 2002

China's Fountain of Youth

Green tea helps bolster the body's defenses."Drinking two or three American-size cups a day of green tea helps bolster the body's defenses, especially as you age, suggests Lester A. Mitscher, PhD, professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and author of The Green Tea Book: China's Fountain of Youth" Prevention, April 2003
Skin safety
White-tea extract cream effective at boosting the immune function of skin cells.A study at the Skin Study Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western University in Ohio found a white-tea extract cream effective at boosting the immune function of skin cells. Wall Street Journal, April 1 2003

Green tea could fight autoimmune disorders

Green tea could fight autoimmune disordersPolyphenols founds in green tea may help protect the body autoimmune disorders, believes an oral biologist who has conducted extensive studies into their health promoting properties. Dr Stephen Hsu, a researcher at the Medical College of Georgia's School of Dentistry, suspected that there may be a link between green tea consumption and autoimmunity after noting that dry mouth, or xerostamina, an autoimmune disorder suffered by around 30 percent of elderly Americans, occurs in only one to two percent of Chinese people in the same age group. Green tea is a common component of the typical Chinese diet. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system starts to attack the body's own tissues. They may be triggered by other health conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Sjogren's disease, and can have debilitating and even life threatening effects. Dr Hsu will present the findings of his latest investigations, involving green tea's role in producing autoantigens, at the Arthritis research Conference in Atlanta this weekend. Autoantigens are molecules that have useful functions, but changes in their amount or location can trigger an immune response. nutraingredients-usa.com, 6/16/2005

Liver

Tea protects transplanted livers

Tea Might Protect Transplanted LiversAn antioxidant found in green tea may help protect patients recovering from liver transplant, suggests a study in mice. Restrictions in blood flow, or ischemia, can lead to complications following liver transplantation in humans, particularly if the liver is fatty, as it can be in obese individuals. But a natural antioxidant found in green tea may protect transplanted organs from ischemia-linked damage, according to researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston. A previous study found the simple act of rinsing fatty livers in a solution containing green tea extract helped prevent transplant failure. In their study, the Charleston team gave mice doses of EGCG, the major antioxidant flavonoid found in green tea. They then performed surgeries resulting in ischemia that threatened to injure the rodents' livers. Mice receiving the green tea derivative showed a 100 percent post-surgery survival rate, compared to a 65 percent survival for animals not receiving the compound. Tissue analysis showed that mice receiving the tea extract experienced less liver cell death and retained a higher percentage of viable tissue. Further research suggests the green tea extract acts as an antioxidant, protecting fatty livers from injury while reducing liver fat content by about 55 percent. HealthDayNews, Feb 2005

Stroke Prevention

Tea Can Help Prevent Strokes

Tea Can Help Prevent StrokesJapanese researchers found that people who drank at least 5 cups of green tea daily had a whopping 62% lower risk of dying from clot-caused strokes. Experts think that the antioxidants found in tea help keep platelets slide past each other, preventing harmful blood clots that can lead to strokes. Prevention December 5, 2006

Tooth Health

Is Tea Good For Your Teeth?

Is Tea Good For Your Teeth?Tea provides protection against tooth plaque and potential tooth decay, plus it has been shown to help strengthen bones. Tea contains flouride, which is good for your teeth. Tea is best drunk plain in order to reap benefits for tooth health. Daily Nation April 26, 2010

Tea Can Aid in Periodontal Health

Tea Can Aid in Periodontal HealthHigher the intake of tea, according to studies conducted amount middle-aged men in Japan, the more of a reduced risk of periodontal diseases, such as gum bleeding, loss of teeth, etc. Research shows that catechins present in green tea helped promote an antioxidant effect that inhibited inflammation and bacterial growth. Life Extension, July 2009

Weight Loss

Trying to lose weight? Another benefit of green tea!!
Trying to lose weight? Another benefit of green tea!! Compared to the placebo and caffeine, green tea extract consumption produced a significant 4% increase in 24-hour energy expenditure. If you consume 2,000 calories per day and don't gain or lose weight (you're in energy balance), an increase of 4% would translate roughly into an 80-calorie daily difference. Over a year, this could result in 8 pounds of weight loss. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov 1999

Burning off those Munchkins

Daily intake of the tea burns extra calories"In a 1999 Swiss study, six out of 10 men taking capsules of green tea extract burned, on average, about an extra 80 calories a day-the equivalent of 3 tablespoons of ice cream, 7 potato chips, or 1 Dunkin' Donuts Munchkin. A second study, conducted by researchers from the US Department of Agriculture, saw an extra 67 calories a day burned in men who were assigned to drink about 5 cups of tea (not green) each day." Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, June 2003

Accelerate calorie burning
Recent evidence shows that in the battle of fat loss, green tea may be superior to plain caffeine.According to a new study, green tea appears to accelerate calorie burning -- including fat calories. Researchers suggest compounds in green tea called flavonoids may change how the body uses a hormone called norepinephrine, which then speeds the rate calories are burned. Joe Weider's Muscle & Fitness, April 2000
Black vs Green

Black is just as healthful as Green
Black tea is turning out to be just as healthful as green tea.Regular black tea is turning out to be just as healthful as green tea. The evidence for tea's health effects comes mainly from lab studies, though some human studies point to possible benefits in preventing heart disease and cancer. University of California Wellness Letter, Mar 2002

Green and black tea fight diabetes

Green and black tea fight diabetesBlack tea is as good as green tea in reducing sugar levels and inhibiting cataracts in diabetic mice, researchers said Tuesday. The study by the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania found both teas reduced glucose levels and other diabetic complications, such as cataracts, during the three-month test on rats. "Most people, scientists included, believe that green tea has more health benefits than black tea," said lead author Joe Vinson. of the research to be published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The finding that green and black teas are beneficial suggests the drinks could be simple and inexpensive ways for humans to fight diabetes, he said. Vinson's earlier work showed both teas equally inhibited atherosclerosis, a major risk for people suffering from heart disease as plaque builds up on arterial walls. United Press Int'l, April 19 2005

Decaf Tea

Retain 90% of its cancer-fighting properties with decaf

Tea decaffeinated using a natural CO-2 process retains 90% of its cancer-fighting properties.If caffeine is removed with a compound called ethyl acetate, only about 30% of the tea's healing polyphenols (believed to fight cancer and heart disease) remain. But if caffeine is removed using a more expensive water-and-carbon-dioxide process, about 90% of the polyphenols remain. Prevention, February 2000

Cut your caffeine intake!

Cut your caffeine intake!CLOSE YOUR EYES AND INHALE DEEPLY the scent of a juicy, summer peach, ready to burst. Or apple cobbler as the aroma curls out of the oven on a snowy Saturday evening. Now imagine the same experience, available year-round, coming from a cup of tea. Sip it. Love it. Luxuriate in it. And know that nowadays tea sipping can not only delight the senses, but it just might be good for your health as well. It's true. New research shows that regular consumption of tea (the world's favorite beverage, next to water) has been linked to lower risk of both heart disease and cancer. And these days, flavored teas come in an abundance of lip-smacking varieties like ginger-peach, passion fruit, apple-cinnamon, vanilla-almond and peppermint. You can drink it hot, iced and with sugar or lemon. It's flexible enough to suit every taste. Plus, it's cheap and easy to make. When we talk about tea here, we mean one of three kinds: green, oolong or black (most Americans drink black). All three come from the leaves of one plant-the tea bush Camellia sinensis. Flavored black is simply black tea that has been mixed with ingredients like dried flower petals or oils (Earl Grey, a black tea with oil of bergamot, is probably the best known). Notice that we didn't say herbal. That's because an herbal tea, by definition, does not contain any true "tea" leaves. All three teas boast rich amounts of naturally occurring compounds called flavonoids. Scientists believe it may be these compounds that could account for the lower risk of cancer and heart disease among tea drinkers. In part, flavonoids work as antioxidants-substances that protect cells from troublemaking particles called free radicals. They also may discourage blood from forming dangerous dots that bring on heart attacks and strokes. Prevention, May 1996

Rooibos: caffeine free and healthy

Rooibos Tea: Caffeine Free and HealthyFrom the Himalayas to the Cliffs of Dover, people drink tea with faithful ritual. In Tibet they take it with butter, in England with cream. And now there's good reason for Americans to take it seriously. The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, comes in many forms--black, green, oolong. What makes Camellia so healthful is its polyphenols, antioxidants that protect against cell damage and help prevent diseases like age-related decline, cancer and heart disease. But herbal teas like chamomile don't have the same benefits. That is, all except one. The South African "rooibos," meaning red bush in Afrikaans, has the benefits of Camellia without the caffeine. Daneel Ferreira, M.D., of the University of Mississippi, studied and compared rooibos with Camellia and found that both contain a similar amount of polyphenols. And a study at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom bears out the benefits. Researchers found that tea drinking is associated with higher bone-mineral density. Among the 1,256 women studied, tea drinkers were up to 20% less likely to suffer bone fractures. And at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, tea polyphenols helped prevent the development of arthritis in lab mice. With rooibos's many benefits, Americans should consider incorporating England's afternoon tea ritual--for both its soothing and healing potential. Psychology Today, Mar/Apr 2001

Loose vs Bags

More antioxidants with loose tea

More antioxidants with loose teaIn Japan, folks often drink 4 to 10 cups of green tea daily, says tea researcher Lester A. Mitscher, PhD. Here's how to get the biggest antioxidant boost, Fresh brewed is best. Antioxidant catechins-the potential sniffle stoppers in green tea-break down fast. Keep it loose. Tea made from loose leaves has more antioxidants than tea bags, which tend to have lower-quality, powdered leaves. Watch your water. Chlorine in tap water can lower antioxidant levels if it is not brought to a full boil first. For the best -- tasting tea, use distilled water; the minerals in water change tea's flavor. Time it. Steep for just 2 to 3 minutes to avoid a bitter taste. Prevention, April 2003

Tea is Good for You

Hardly a week goes by without news of yet another research study confirming the health benefits of tea. However, not all teas are equally good for you. The chart nearby compares the ECGCs (tea's healthy flavonoids) found in our full-leaf teas versus those found in the supermarket tea bags. Unsurprisingly, the full-leaf teas yield 1/3 to 1/2 more ECGCs, delivering more benefits in each cup. Chromadex

White Tea

An even more potent anti-cancer quality
White tea appears to have more potent anticancer qualities than green tea.White tea appears to have more potent anticancer qualities than green tea, according to studies performed at the Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State University in Corvallis. The researchers tested the tea to determine whether it could help prevent genetic mutations in bacteria, and colon and rectal cancer in cancer-prone rats. In both experiments, white tea was shown to have a strong protective effect. White tea offered significantly more protection than green tea. "I was surprised by the potency. We were not expecting that much of a good result," Dr. Santana-Rios told Reuters Health. Reuters Health, March 30, 2000

White tea helps fight viruses and bacteria

White tea helps fight viruses and bacteriaIf you're trying to fight off infections and illness, sip white tea instead of green, suggests Milton Schiffenbauer, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor at Pace University in New York City. In laboratory tests, Schiffenbauer found white tea, which has a delicate flavor, more effective than green tea at inactivating viruses, bacteria and fungi responsible for streptococcus infections and pneumonia. When it comes to fighting bugs, "white tea is about 10 percent more effective than green," he says. Shape Magazine, October 2004

White Tea has Anti-viral benefits
White Tea has Anti-viral benefitsStudies conducted by Milton Schiffenbauer, PhD, at Pace University in New York City show that white tea extract contains antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Drinking white tea was as effective at suppressing intestinal tumors as ingesting sulindac (Clinoril), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for cancer treatment, in a study published in the February 2003 issue of Carcinogenesis. Better Nutrition, 9/2006 Vol 68, Issue 9

I hope you enjoy your tea today!