Thursday, September 07, 2006
The wonders of tea
By Henrylito D. Tacio
Health 101
"IT IS better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one," so goes a popular Chinese saying. After water, tea has the distinction of being the most ancient beverage in the world. It is nearly 5,000 years old, and as legend has it, was discovered quite by accident by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C. Much of the world's tea is grown in mountainous areas usually 3,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level, situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Tea doesn't just taste great, it's good for your health, too! Recent studies in leading medical journals declare tea a potential heart tonic, cancer blocker, fat buster, immune stimulant, arthritis soother, virus fighter and cholesterol detoxifier. Not bad for a lowly shrub soaked in a little hot water.
Some studies have shown that tea Inhibits cancer growth. Tea has long been tied to a lower risk of stomach, colon and breast cancer, although the connection is not proven. Now laboratory studies find that tea chemicals actually may stop cancer growth. Rutgers University researchers showed that a compound in black tea called TF-2 caused colorectal cancer cells to "commit suicide;" normal cells were unaffected. "The effect is quite dramatic," said Rutgers professor Kuang Yu Chen, who speculates that the chemical might one day be made into an anti-cancer drug.
In a recent test, Dr Joseph Vita, of the Boston University School of Medicine, had heart patients drink either plain water or four cups of black tea daily. In a month, impaired blood vessel functioning (a risk factor for heart attack and strokes) improved about 50 percent in the tea drinkers.
Studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Journal of The American Heart Association are supporting the idea that drinking tea may help in recovery after a heart attack. A combined analysis of 13 published studies found an average estimated 11 percent lower rate of heart attacks among study participants who drank three or more cups of tea per day.
According to the researcher, Dr. Lenore Arab of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, that 11 percent could translate to a potential preventive impact for 100,000-110,000 people were all persons at risk to increase their intakes by 3 cups/day. This estimate is based on an average number of 1.1 million heart attacks per year in the United States.
Tea can even help you lose weight. A study done by Taiwanese researchers have found that people who have been regular tea drinkers for more than 10 years showed lower body fat percentage compared with those who don't drink tea regularly. You better ask Oprah Winfrey for further information on this!
Tea's health benefits are largely due to its high content of flavonoids -- plant-derived compounds that are antioxidants. Antioxidants, which are thought to help battle cancer and provide other health benefits, are abundant in grains, banana and many other fruits, vegetables and coffee.
"Plants produce a lot of antioxidants. These compounds prevent the sun from causing free-radical damage to the plants," explained Dr. Joe Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. "That's why they may be good for the human body. I think antioxidants are the actual major causes of decreases in diseases. We consume fats and sugars that produce free radicals, and vitamins can't fight them alone. They need antioxidants."
Studies have also shown that teas are also the best food source of a group called catechins. In test tubes, catechins are more powerful than vitamins C and E in halting oxidative damage to cells and appear to have other disease-fighting properties. Meanwhile, the Harvard University shared some tips to get the most out of tea-drinking:
* Drinking a cup of tea a few times a day to absorb antioxidants and other healthful plant compounds. In green-tea drinking cultures, the usual amount is three cups per day.
* Allow tea to steep for three to five minutes to bring out its catechins.
* The best way to get the catechins and other flavonoids in tea is to drink it freshly brewed. Decaffeinated, bottled ready-to-drink tea preparations, and instant teas have less of these compounds.
* Tea can impede the absorption of iron from fruits and vegetables. Adding lemon or milk or drinking tea between meals will counteract this problem.
By the way, adding milk to tea does not block absorption of antioxidants, new Dutch research finds. In addition, tea is also rich in fluoride, and contains approximately the same amount as fluoridated water. As such, drinking tea may help your tooth enamel remain healthy and inhibit the formation of cavities and plaque. Fluoride is also essential for keeping your bones strong and healthy.
A word of caution: The possible beneficial health effects of tea consumption have been suggested and supported by some studies, but others have not found beneficial effects. You should consult your doctor before using high concentrations of tea for disease prevention.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (September 7, 2006 issue)
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