Sunday, December 16, 2007

Benefit of tea

What does tea-time have got to do with your health?
Well, according to numerous study: many!

The
health benefits from tea-drinking has often been lauded. Researchers
found that by drinking tea (the second most popular drink) people can
have lower bad cholesterol (LDL) level. Studies have found an association between consuming green tea and a

reduced
risk for several cancers, including, skin, breast, lung, colon,
esophageal, and bladder.Additional benefits for regular consumers of
green and black teas include a reduced risk for heart disease.


A study done by Vanderbilt University Medical Center,
after double-blind, randomized 12 week trial,concluded that the effect
of tea is substantial to reduction of LDL level. The 375 mg capsule
used in this study is an extract made up of 75 mg of theaflavins
(flavonoids from black tea), 150 mg of catechins (flavonoids from green
tea) and 150 mg of other tea polyphenols. It is equivalent to 7 cups of
high-quality black tea or 35 cups of green tea.The dosage can reduce the

LDL up to 16%.

The flavonoids is the content of tea, an antioxidant,
that is the primary source of the benefits. The antioxidant is good for
cancer prevention and heart health, in addition to lowering low density
lipoproteins and raising high density lipoproteins. In particular,
green tea is the best food source of a group called catechins.
According to lab experiments, catechins are more powerful than vitamins
C and E in halting oxidative damage to cells and appear to have other
disease-fighting properties.


To harvest the benefit of tea the most, here are a couple of tips from Medical News Today:
  • Drinking
    a cup of tea a few times a day to absorb antioxidants and other
    healthful plant compounds. In green-tea drinking cultures, the usual
    amount is three cups per day.
  • Allow tea to steep for three to five minutes to bring out its catechins.
  • The
    best way to get the catechins and other flavonoids in tea is to drink
    it freshly brewed. Decaffeinated, bottled ready-to-drink tea
    preparations, and instant teas have less of these compounds.
  • Tea
    can impede the absorption of iron from fruits and vegetables. Adding
    lemon or milk or drinking tea between meals will counteract this
    problem.

Happy tea-drinking !





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