| Tea: It Does the Body Good | | | | Center, 2003). |
| | | | |
| Studies that support the health benefits of | | | | - Tea consumption may help heart disease |
| tea drinking keep filling the headlines. | | | | patients (Circulation: The Journal of the |
| There's simply no denying that a daily spot | | | | American Heart Association, 2001). |
| of tea does the body good. | | | | |
| | | | Cancer Prevention: |
| Even though researchers can't quite agree on | | | | |
| every aspect, I'm sold on the fact that a few | | | | - Green tea could help stem esophageal |
| cups a day will do its best to protect me | | | | cancer. (Harvard Medical School, 2004). |
| from heart disease, a stroke, cancer, and | | | | |
| more. | | | | - Green and black tea can slow down the |
| | | | spread of prostate cancer (Center for Human |
| What Makes Tea Good for the Body? | | | | Nutrition at UCLA's David Geffen School of |
| | | | Medicine, 2004). |
| Tea contains high levels of antioxidants, | | | | |
| some of which are called polyphenols, | | | | - Tea may protect against cancer caused by |
| flavonoids, and catechins, and all of which | | | | smoking. (Journal of Nutrition, 2003). |
| take on the "free radicals" in the body and | | | | |
| prevent them from harming the healthy cells | | | | - Green tea and white tea fight colon cancer |
| on board. | | | | (Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State |
| | | | University study, Carcinogenesis, 2003). |
| In other words, sending in antioxidants is | | | | |
| disease prevention in its finest form. | | | | - Hot tea may lower risk of some skin cancers |
| Antioxidants are ready and waiting not only | | | | (University of Arizona study, Cancer |
| in teas but also in several fruits, | | | | Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention (Vol. |
| vegetables, nuts, meats, and even wines (see | | | | 9, No. 7), 2001). |
| my health benefits of wine article). | | | | |
| | | | - Green tea consumption may lower stomach |
| If that were not enough, tea also contains | | | | cancer risk (University of California at Los |
| flouride which benefits your teeth and has | | | | Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health study, |
| bacteria killing properties which helps | | | | International Journal of Cancer (Vol. 92: |
| control bad breath and the formation of | | | | 600-604), 2001). |
| plaque. | | | | |
| | | | Hypertension-Reducing Benefits: |
| Are All Teas Equally Good for the Body? | | | | |
| | | | - Green and oolong teas reduce risk of |
| This is a question researchers are still | | | | hypertension (National Cheng Kung University |
| squabbling over. Does green tea have more | | | | study, Archives of Internal Medicine, 2004). |
| antioxidants than black tea? Should I drink | | | | |
| instant tea or loose leaf tea for better | | | | Immunity-Boosting Benefits |
| health benefits? Is hot tea better than iced | | | | |
| tea? And here's what it comes down to: | | | | - Tea believed to boost the body's defenses |
| | | | (Proceedings of the National Academy of |
| - Higher quality teas may have more catechin | | | | Sciences, 2003) |
| antioxidants than lower quality teas. | | | | |
| | | | Leukemia-Fighting Benefits: |
| - White tea has more antioxidants than any | | | | |
| other tea. | | | | - A green tea component helps kill leukemia |
| | | | cells (Mayo Clinic, 2004). |
| - Green tea has more catechin antioxidants | | | | |
| than black tea since black tea goes through | | | | Alzheimer's-Fighting Benefits: |
| more processing. | | | | |
| | | | - Drinking tea might delay Alzheimer's |
| - Unfermented rooibos tea has more polyphenol | | | | Disease (Newcastle University's Medicinal |
| antioxidants than fermented rooibos. | | | | Plant Research Centre study, Phytotherapy |
| | | | Research, 2004). |
| - Freshly brewed teas have more polyphenol | | | | |
| antioxidants than instant or bottled teas. | | | | AIDS-Fighting Benefits: |
| | | | |
| - More researchers seem to agree that brewed | | | | - Tea may play a role as an AIDS fighter |
| (cold or hot) or caffeinated tea has more | | | | (University of Tokyo, Journal of Allergy and |
| antioxidants than instant teas. | | | | Clinical Immunology, 2003). |
| | | | |
| Here's a short preview of the hundreds of | | | | In Conclusion: |
| recent studies that boast the health benefits | | | | |
| of tea and its antioxidants: | | | | So how do you get started in doing your body |
| | | | some good with tea? |
| Heart Benefits: | | | | |
| | | | To get the most health benefits out of your |
| - Study finds tea drinkers have lower blood | | | | teas, choose high-quality loose leaf teas |
| pressure (Archives of Internal Medicine, | | | | from your local or online tea shop. Brew it |
| 2004). | | | | up and enjoy. And of course, don't throw out |
| | | | the idea of enjoying instant or bottled teas |
| - Tea may lower cholesterol and protect | | | | when you're on the go. You just might have to |
| against heart disease (Journal of Nutrition, | | | | drink a little more. |
| 2003). | | | | |
| | | | Don't wait any longer. Sip, savor, and fight |
| - Black tea may lower "bad" cholesterol | | | | disease today. It's never too late to enjoy |
| (United States Department of Agriculture | | | | the many health benefits of tea! |
| (USDA) Beltsville Human Nutrition Research | | | | |