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Diet
& Lifestyle
Tea Research
Tea
cuts risk of heart disease and cancer
There is good news for tea drinkers - a daily cup of
black tea can help reduce the risk of heart disease, according to new
research from America.
Detailed research on the positive effects of the polyphenol extract in tea
has led to major advances in understanding how and why tea has such
health-promoting effects on the body.
The American Health Foundation in Valhalla, New
York USA (1) report that tea polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that
may play a role in lowering the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol, with a
consequent decreased risk of heart disease.
The research states that as tea lowers the rate
of cell replication and thus the growth and development of neoplasms, it
may also diminish the risk of specific types of cancer. A study by the
Food Composition Laboratory, in Maryland, USA (2) refers to the unique
biological activities tea has due to its high polyphenol content which may
be responsible for the many attributed health benefits.
Tea is also known to have a positive effect
through its ability to modify the intestinal microflora in the stomach and
so reduce the undesirable bacteria and increase beneficial bacteria in the
stomach.
Studies on both green and black tea report
similar effects, suggesting that the regular drinking of either may help
lower the incidence and mortality from major chronic diseases.
Sources
(1): Tea and health: the underlying mechanisms.
Weisburger JH.Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 220:271-5, 1999 Apr
(2): Analysis of tea polyphenols.
Beecher GR; Warden BA; Merken H
Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 220:267-70, 1999 Apr
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This page was last updated on 28 March 2001 11:25:38
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