42 replies to this topic

[JLL]

All green tea leaves are different. I know that Gunpowder leaves have high amount of fluoride. Also, it depends if those leaves are young or old. Older ones have much higher fluoride content.

The natural tea fluoride (e.g. calcium fluoride) may be less dangerous thant artificial (sodiume fluoride). Switching from a fluoride rich toothpaste to a xylitol-based one can reduce fluoride levels ingested. No health problems in Japan (a lot of green tea intake and soil rich in fluor). Pick the younger teas if the older leaves contain more fluoride then.

Our green tea fluoride discussion thread with quite a lot discussion about fluoride.

Drinking more than 10 cups sure doesn't seem to hurt the Japanese.

I didn't know Gunpowder leaves had higher amounts, though. I just bough a box of Gunpowder tea. I'll have to look into that.

[cyborgdreamer]

Is it better to drink the green tea on an empty stomach? I would think the tannins might not be absorbed if they bond with minerals in your stomach.

[Natascha]

I only drink one cup a day, usually before my first meal. Sometimes I end up forgetting and end up with only 5 cups a week. The problem is, the taste to me is not very appealing. In fact, I would say it tastes outright disgusting. I would add something to it but I've heard it is not as effective that way. I drink the caffeine-free kind.

To those drinking up to 10 cups a day, how is the taste for you? If it doesn't taste good at all, do you just suck it up and drink for the health benefits? I might have to try that...bleh.

[JLL]

I don't think sugar or honey makes green tea less healthy in the same way that milk seems to do (at least according to a couple of studies). It's more a question of whether you want to eat sugar or honey. Lemon can also be safely added and has almost zero calories.

I don't have a reference at hand, but I've read that decaffeinated tea may not have the same benefits, so if you're going through all that trouble for the health benefits, you might want to be on the safe side and drink the normal kind.

I like the taste of good green tea. The stuff I buy seems to be pretty bitter though, but I still drink lots of it.

[Mind]

Green Tea Catechin Reverses the Effect of DHT in Prostate Cancer Cells

When it comes to cancer-related deaths in men, prostate cancer is topped only by lung cancer, which is the number one leading cause of cancer deaths in both sexes. Cancer itself is second only to heart disease in death rates.

Green tea's anti-cancer effects are well known by now, but it's not always clear how exactly green tea works against different types cancer. In most cases, the reason behind the health benefits is one of the catechins of green tea – epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), to be precise.

The same is apparently true with prostate cancer as well. Thomas et al. studied the effect of EGCG on different cell lines involved in prostate cancer. They found that green tea induced death in prostate cancer cells. In addition, when dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was present, the effect was even greater.

BACKGROUND: Compelling evidence has accumulated for chemopreventive effects for the active component of green tea Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) particularly for prostate cancer (CaP). METHODS: We have assessed interactions between the effects of EGCG and two main regulators of prostate cell function, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I). Using LNCaP (androgen-sensitive), PC3 and DU145 (androgen-resistant) CaP cell lines, we assessed the effect of EGCG alone on growth (0-200 microM) and on cell death (0-50 microM). RESULTS: EGCG decreased the proliferation of all the CaP cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner with an increase in apoptosis from 30 to 50 microM. With DU145 cells, a sub-apoptotic dose of EGCG (10-20 microM) reduced IGF-induced growth. With LNCaP cells, a sub-apoptotic dose of EGCG (8 microM) switched DHT from a growth promoter to a growth inhibitor. A similar reversal of DHT effect was seen in the presence of an IGF-I receptor inhibitor, AG1024 (1 microM). These responses appeared to be due to DHT sensitizing the cells to apoptosis by EGCG and AG1024 (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests that both green tea and AG1024 are effective in inhibiting cell growth and inducing death in CaP cells but the effects of both are more effective in the presence of androgen.

[Mind]

Drinking 3 cups of green tea increases anit-oxidant activity in humans

After one hour of ingesting 150 ml of green tea, the plasma antioxidant concentrations of the subjects increased to 1.33 mmol/l. After two hours, the concentration was 1.34 mmol/l. Compared to baseline levels of 1.31 mmol/l, the increases were 0.02 and 0.03 mmol/l.

In the second week, drinking 300 ml of green tea increased antioxidant concentrations from 1.29 to 1.38 mmol/l after one hour and 1.37 mmol/l after two hours. Thus, even though the increase was more significant than with the lower dose, there was a slight decrease after two hours compared to levels measured after the first hour.

After the third week, when the amount was 450 ml of green tea, antioxidant concentrations increased from 1.33 to 1.49 mmol/l at 1 hour and 1.50 mmol/l at 2 hours.

[fawnie]

I drink 3-4 cups of green tea a day. The Good Earth makes Super Green Tea which is organic and contains sencha, matcha and orange rind. Good stuff! I haven't had a virus or bacterial infection in 3 years now. I take EpiCor also for immune function so it's probably a combination of these 2/

[yoyo]

drinking tea on an empty stomach=nausea, i couldn't do it.

good tea taste good. often i just drink it all absenmindedly, but if i think abotu it i like the taste. getting good tea matters though, just about every green tea in a teabag at the grocers is pretty gross, tastes like eating a lawn. if i have to, i'll drink it with some orange zest.

[aim1]

Can anyone point me in the direction of information the pluses or minuses of white tea compared to green? I drink 2 cups of white everyday, but I am not sure if I am missing out on any of the benefits of green tea.

[JLL]

Can anyone point me in the direction of information the pluses or minuses of white tea compared to green? I drink 2 cups of white everyday, but I am not sure if I am missing out on any of the benefits of green tea.

Considering that green tea has more catechins - which are behind many of green tea's benefits - than black tea due to less fermentation, I assume white tea, being even less fermented than green tea, has even more catechins. Hence, you would see all the benefits related to the catechin content.

On the other hand, black tea has some compounds that green tea doesn't due to fermentation. Some of them have their own benefits, so by consuming white tea you'd be missing out on them.

However, in most studies comparing green tea and black tea, green tea is the clear winner, so my guess is that all in all, white tea is at least as healthy as green tea is.

Edited by JLL, 04 March 2009 - 12:22 PM.

[JLL]

Green tea protects cartilage from arthritis in vitro

In addition to being anti-inflammatory, green tea catechins protect cartilage from breakdown caused by proinflammatory cytokines in vitro. Catechins were also effective in reducing the loss of type II collagen.

Green tea enhances abdominal fat loss

the authors report that the catechins in green tea enhance abdominal fat loss in obese adults who are put on an exercise program.

Peak increase in antioxidant activity occurs 20-40 minutes after drinking green tea

Strongly brewed green tea increases plasma antioxidant activity in humans by up to 4%. The effect lasts at least two hours, but the most significant increase is seen 20-40 minutes after ingestion.

[RighteousReason]

It seems that every day something new comes out about Green Tea. The latest news is that it might fight HIV.

Here's a good list of The 15 Benefits of Green Tea. Lots of good research to back these up too. #2 on the list is "Prolong Life." [thumb]

Your link is dead... is it so hard to paste the article... ???

:(

[meursault]

Stroke be gone!


Green, Black Tea Can Reduce Stroke Risk, Research Suggests
http://www.scienceda...90223091806.htm

"And extrapolating from the data, the effect appears to be linear, Arab said. For instance, if one drinks three cups a day, the risk falls by 21 percent; follow that with another three cups and the risk drops another 21 percent."

Just drink 15 cups a day and the risk of having a stroke goes bye bye!