Tea drinking has been claimed to have health benefits for centuries, but only in recent years have doctors conducted studies to see if the claims are justified.
A Cuppa of Tea
One possible reason for tea's health benefits is its high content of flavonoids -- plant-derived antioxidants. Antioxidants counteract free radical molecules in the body, naturally produced chemicals that help cause aging, cancer and a variety of other diseases. Tea, particularly green tea, is the best food source of a group of flavonoids called catechins (pronounced CAT-ih-kins). In research studies, catechins are more powerful than vitamins C and E in stopping free radical damage to cells. They also appear to have other disease-fighting properties. Tea contains more than 4,000 compounds, so many more may affect the body.
All three conventional teas -- green, black and oolong -- come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis), but their chemical content and flavors are different because they're processed differently. Green tea leaves are steamed before they're dried, which prevents the breakdown of catechins and preserves their green color. Black tea is made by allowing the leaves to oxidize and ferment, which darkens them and converts some of the catechins into other compounds. Oolong tea is only partially fermented.
Although studies of tea drinking and health have had somewhat mixed results, many have found an association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for several cancers, including skin, breast, lung, colon, esopha-geal and bladder cancers.
Tea and Research
Laboratory and animal research offer some clues about tea's cancer-fighting potential. One of the catechins found most abundantly in green tea (epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG) may interfere with cancer cell growth. EGCG has also been shown to kill leukemia cells, inhibit the overgrowth of cervical cells, rescue dying skin cells and promote apoptosis, the built-in program for cell death needed to keep cell growth in check. EGCG may also block the development of tiny new blood vessels that feed cancer cells and thereby keep the cancer growing.
In one study, applying green tea extracts containing EGCG to the skin helped protect it from ultraviolet light damage.
Some studies have found a reduced risk for heart disease in regular consumers of green and black teas. There may be several reasons for this. The antioxidants in green, black and oolong teas can help block the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can increase the formation of atherosclerosis plaques in artery walls. Drinking tea has also been shown to increase HDL (good) cholesterol in a dose-dependent way -- the more tea consumed, the greater the HDL (good) cholesterol increase. Some studies find that drinking tea helps relax arteries, and prevent them from going into spasm. Research results published this year indicated that green tea and black tea were equally effective in improving cholesterol levels and preventing atherosclerosis in an animal model.
A Chinese study published recently showed that regular consumers of oolong or green tea had a reduced risk of high blood pressure, compared to non-tea-drinkers.
Tea and its benefits
Tea can also impede the absorption of iron from fruits and vegetables. Adding lemon or milk to your tea or drinking it between meals will counteract this problem. Tea also contains caffeine, albeit in smaller amounts than coffee.
Drinking a cup of tea a few times a day may be a pleasant way to consume antioxidants and other healthful plant compounds. In green tea-drinking cultures, the usual amount is three cups per day. Three to five minutes of steeping is enough to bring out the catechins.
Drinking tea is generally safe, with a few caveats. In large amounts, it can interfere with blood clotting and thus may interact with the drug warfarin (Coumadin) and other blood thinners.
The best way of course to get the catechins and other flavonoids in tea is to drink it freshly brewed. Decaffeinated, bottled ready-to-drink (regular and diet) tea preparations, and instant teas have less of these compounds. An ever refreshing way to start your day, choose from either ice tea or warm lemontea for additional health benefits. Its a sure shot method for you to get rid of that unwanted fat you wanted to lose since a long time.
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