6 replies to this topic

[bobdrake12]

http://news.bbc.co.u...lth/2280353.stm





Friday, 27 September, 2002, 23:58 GMT 00:58 UK

Tea 'to join health menu' (excerpts)




Tea can protect against cancer and heart disease


Tea could soon join fruit and vegetables on the list of must-have health foods.

Recent studies have suggested the traditional cuppa protects against a range of conditions including cancer, heart disease and Parkinson's.

But scientists in the United States now believe that the health benefits are so great that everyone should be urged to drink tea.

Experts believe antioxidants in tea help to repair cells in the body which have been damaged by sunlight, chemicals, stress and many foods.

Damaged cells can lead to cancer and heart disease as well as a host of other serious conditions.

[bobdrake12]

http://news.bbc.co.u...lth/2280353.stm





Wednesday, 17 April, 2002, 00:00 GMT 01:00 UK

Tea may protect against Parkinson's (excerpts)




A chemical in green tea has protective properties


Another potentially beneficial effect of tea has been uncovered by scientists who say it may help protect against Parkinson's disease.

They have identified a chemical antioxidant in green tea which has already been show to have protective effects on several disease processes.

Green tea consumption is associated with decreased risk of breast, pancreatic, colon, oesophageal, and lung cancers in humans.
It contains the potent antioxidant polyphenol, which has also been shown to protect against heart disease.

Previous studies indicate that green tea extracts may have protective effects on Parkinson's disease in test animals, but the underlying protective mechanisms were not clear.

[bobdrake12]

http://news.bbc.co.u...lth/2280353.stm




Tuesday, 9 April, 2002, 00:53 GMT 01:53 UK

Tea 'could help prevent cancer' (excerpts)




A cup of tea could help prevent cancer


Drinking tea could help prevent cancers, say scientists.

They say antioxidants in tea offer protective benefits against cancers of the stomach and oesophagus (gullet).

A study in China showed tea drinkers were around half as likely to develop the cancers as others who did not drink tea.

The researchers looked to see whether certain chemicals called polyphenols, which are present in tea, were present in the urine of the men they studied.

It is thought that under a state of imbalance, or oxidative stress, cells may mutate and contribute to disease processes, including cancer.

Tea contains antioxidants - polyphenols called catechins - that have been shown to be as powerful as the well-established antioxidants vitamins C and E at protecting proteins and DNA from oxidative damage.

Green tea contains the most catechins, followed by oolong and black teas.

[bobdrake12]

http://chinesefood.a...y/aa011400a.htm




Chinese Cuisine



with Rhonda Parkinson


The Miracle of Green Tea (excerpts)

"Better to be deprived of food for three days, then tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)


To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

o cancer
o rheumatoid arthritis
o high cholesterol levels
o cariovascular disease
o infection
o impaired immune function

What makes green tea so special?

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.


Copyright © 2002 About, Inc. About and About.com are registered trademarks of About, Inc.

[bobdrake12]

http://www.parentspl..._111422,00.html




Green tea: What are the benefits? (excerpts)


_______________________________________________________________________





Sue is a consulting nutritionist. For many years she worked with Earth's Best Organic Baby Food, integrating nutrition and product development. She has written numerous articles on children's health and nutrition for parenting publications.

_______________________________________________________________________


Green and black teas both seem to have health benefits. I am referring to the nonherbal black and green teas. These teas contain an potent antioxidant compound known as polyphenols. These polyphenols are being linked with anti-cancer and anti-heart disease effects. Studies are still incomplete and inconclusive, but are pointing strongly toward having a protective effect against these two deadly diseases.

Green and black teas are the same plant processed in a different way. This difference in processing results in more of the polyphenols being destroyed in the black teas. Green teas therefore seem to have more of the beneficial effects mentioned, but black teas still retain some of the benefits.

Laboratory studies are showing the polyphenols in tea can help prevent cancer from forming and may stabilize or shrink present cancers, keeping them from spreading. This effect seems to lie in polyphenol's ability to prevent the oxidation that causes damage to DNA, turning normal cells into cancer cells. It can also inhibit enzyme activity that potentiates the malignancy of carcinogenic compounds. Most studies are laboratory based, and results in humans are inconclusive, but observational evidence is beginning to prove a link.

There is also evidence suggesting that tea may protect against heart disease, although the link is not yet as strong as that for cancer.


c) iVillage Inc. 1995-2002

[bobdrake12]

http://gte.mannainternational.com/




"The active constituents in green tea are the Catechin - Polyphenols. Green tea catechins are potent antioxidants that provide numerous health benefits. Green Tea is being used, throughout the world, to boost the immune system, treat certain types of Cancer and as a part of many weight-loss programs."

[bobdrake12]

Shigeru Ohta explains the organic farming process used to grow tea



http://www.ynhh.org/...r/tea_time.html










Tea time: go for the green (excerpts)

Green tea rich in antioxidants

Drinking a cup of green tea might do more than warm you up this winter. Researchers offer even more reasons to make time for this age-old beverage. Green tea comes from the leaves of the white-flowered tea plant, Camellia sinensis, a bush native to Asia. These tea leaves are less processed than black tea and contain rich sources of antioxidants, which protect the body’s cells from damage and fight diseases. The antioxidants in green tea have been linked to cancer prevention, decreased risk of stroke, heart diseases, and lowered blood cholesterol. Catechin, a phytochemical, is the main component in green tea and is present in higher amounts than in grape juice and red wine, which are also believed to reduce the rate of heart disease.

Good for your heart?

Recent research suggests that antioxidants in green tea play a role in reducing the negative effects of bad cholesterol, lowering triglyceride levels and increasing the production of good cholesterol. They have also been shown to inhibit excessive blood clotting which may help against heart diseases and stroke. Further evidence has suggested that green tea plays a role in prevention of age-related and brain degeneration diseases, such as Parkinson and Alzheimer’s. Its antioxidant properties are thought to reduce free radical damage and the breakdown of neurotransmitters.

Cancer prevention?

Green tea’s rich supply of antioxidants may also play a key role in the prevention of various cancers, like breast, colon, stomach, and lung cancer. They suppress the formation and growth of potent cancer-causing agents. While the potential anti-cancer properties of green tea look promising, they are also complex and not yet completely understood.

Good for your teeth?

Another interesting benefit of green tea is its effectiveness in preventing dental decay. It inhibits the growth of oral bacteria, which can help to fight cavities. When used as a mouth rinse, green tea reduced plaque and the incident of periodontal disease.