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