Drink Tea to Prevent Cancer

Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, second in popularity only to water. People in China and India have long associated drinking tea with good health. Now researchers around the world are studying the potential health benefits of tea, particularly as it relates to the prevention and treatment of various types of cancer. The primary focus of this research is on a particular substance, called an antioxidant.

What Are Antioxidants? During the process of normal metabolism, our cells are constantly forming harmful substances called free radicals. These free radicals are hazardous because they are molecularly unstable and must steal electrons from other molecules in the cell in order to become stable. Unfortunately, this electron theft can damage both proteins and DNA, leaving the cell vulnerable to cancer.

To guard against the harm caused by unchecked free radicals, our cells have developed ways to absorb some of them before they have a chance to wreak their full havoc. In addition, our diet contains substances called antioxidants, which do essentially the same thing. Fruits, vegetables, and certain teas are particularly rich in these antioxidants. Because of their protective effect, some researchers believe that high consumption of antioxidants can reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Which Antioxidants are Found in Tea?
Catechins are the type of antioxidants found in tea. All black or green teas come from the leaves of a single type of evergreen plant called Camellia sinesis. When the tea is ready, it is picked, rolled, dried, and heated. This is green tea. To produce black tea, the leaves are allowed to ferment and oxidize. This presumably explains why green tea contains higher levels of antioxidants than black tea. Research has shown that steeping either green or black tea for about five minutes releases as much as 80% of its antioxidants. Instant iced tea, on the other hand, contains almost none.

Drink Tea, and Keep Your Mind Young

Another new study shows that green tea may protect an aging brain. Green tea is very popular in Asia and has long been deemed as a soothing health tonic. Japan has a lower rate of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia than the U.S. and other Western countries, and it could be attributed to the high levels of green tea consumption.

Researchers from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that seniors in Japan who drank one or more cups of green tea a day were half as likely to show cognitive and memory problems as those who drank less. The more tea the subjects drank, the lower their chances of having mental difficulties. Members of green tea-drinking cultures usually consume three cups a day.

Green tea contains the potent compound EGCG, which seems to inhibit the production of beta-amyloid, a toxic protein that clogs the brains of Alzheimer’s victims. Other studies show that EGCG may prevent heart disease, certain cancers, bacterial infections and the spread of HIV.

Tea for Health, De-stress with Tea

Although the relaxing properties of tea have been speculated for some time, scientific evidence was lacking. Several recent human studies have shown that drinking tea four times a day for six weeks, enables people to recover faster from stressful events. This is due to a decrease in the hormone cortisol, which causes stress. Scientists speculate that ingredients in tea may affect neurotransmitters in the brain.

Theanine is a compound found almost exclusively in the tea plant, Camellia sinesis. Also found in one species of mushrooms and two other Camellia genus species, theanine is an amino acid being studied for its calming properties. Theanine comprises 50% of the amino acids in tea, and one to two percent of the dry weight of tea leaves.

In studies with rats, theanine was able to cross the blood barrier of the brain, increasing alpha-brain wave activity. This brain activity is a sign of induced relaxation. Of the four brain waves, Gamma, Theta, Alpha and Beta, Alpha waves create a relaxed physical and mental condition while the brain is awake and alert. Gamma and Theta waves are present during sleep, and Beta waves signify an awake and excited state.

Theanine is also known to improve concentration and ability to learn, support the immune system and lower cholesterol. A small study with Japanese university students showed that a relaxed and alert state of mind began about 40 minutes after the students took a 200mg theanine supplement.

More studies are being conducted to help understand the effect of theanine in tea.

Tea History

It is said that tea was discovered accidentally by emperor Shen Nung back in 2700BC. After a large meal one day, he was relaxing in the garden with a cup of boiling water. On this occasion, some leaves from a nearby tree fell into the cup unnoticed and he consumed the drink. He enjoyed the taste of the tea and the pain relief of the drink so much, that the cup of tea was born.

The first tea used in England came from China, and it wasn't until the 19th century that tea growing spread to other countries and indigenous tea was discovered in Assam. The UK is the largest importer of tea.

Drink Tea and safe Your Health

"Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants, so it's got two things going for it," said Dr. Carrie Ruxton, nutrition team leader.

In a recent study by The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dr. Ruxton and her team from King's College, London, found that tea is healthier for your body than plain water. Tea not only re-hydrates the body, but it also contains disease-fighting antioxidants. Because of these antioxidants, drinking tea may offer protection against heart disease, stroke and many types of cancer including: lung, mouth, breast, pancreas, colorectal, esophageal, bladder and skin.