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.