Tea-rrific ways to increase your health
For you non-science majors, free radicals are harmful to the body because they steal electrons from other molecules in order to stabilize themselves.
This in turn damages the molecules they've stolen from, generally leaving the cell vulnerable to cancer.
Tea catechins can help inhibit cancer growth. According to the National Cancer Institute, catechins from tea "scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors and inhibit the growth of tumor cells."
Although laboratory studies with mice have shown that tea reduces the presence of chemically induced tumors, human studies have been as far inconclusive, due to immeasurable environmental factors.
While foods such as strawberries and chocolate also have helpful catechins, the benefits of tea don't stop there.
In a study published in 2002 by the American Heart Association, tea drinkers that drank two or more cups of tea a day had a 44 percent lower death rate following a heart attack, compared with nondrinkers.
Tea lowers bad cholesterol, which then helps to lower the chances of abnormal blood clot formation, thus lowering the rates of heart disease and attack.
And it appears that with the more cups you drink, the more health benefits you receive.
In a study published in 2006 by the Journal of the American Medical Association, participants that drank more than five cups of tea daily had a 26 percent lower death rate from cardiovascular disease, and a 16 percent lower risk of dying from any cause.
Catechin not only protects the body from liberated extremists and myocardial infarctions, but also helps relax arteries by producing nitric oxide, which causes the arteries to dilate.
So it seems you can't really go wrong with drinking tea - except, perhaps, if you like to add a little milk. A recent study revealed that milk proteins known as caseins lower the catechin concentration in tea.
However, this study was small and it is difficult to assess the effect of innumerable foods on tea. Thus, let us assume that a little splash of cow juice cannot negate the rest of tea's benefits.
So try some tea. Tea is healthy, tea is good, tea is great, and Professor Trelawney would be thrilled.
This in turn damages the molecules they've stolen from, generally leaving the cell vulnerable to cancer.
Tea catechins can help inhibit cancer growth. According to the National Cancer Institute, catechins from tea "scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors and inhibit the growth of tumor cells."
Although laboratory studies with mice have shown that tea reduces the presence of chemically induced tumors, human studies have been as far inconclusive, due to immeasurable environmental factors.
While foods such as strawberries and chocolate also have helpful catechins, the benefits of tea don't stop there.
In a study published in 2002 by the American Heart Association, tea drinkers that drank two or more cups of tea a day had a 44 percent lower death rate following a heart attack, compared with nondrinkers.
Tea lowers bad cholesterol, which then helps to lower the chances of abnormal blood clot formation, thus lowering the rates of heart disease and attack.
And it appears that with the more cups you drink, the more health benefits you receive.
In a study published in 2006 by the Journal of the American Medical Association, participants that drank more than five cups of tea daily had a 26 percent lower death rate from cardiovascular disease, and a 16 percent lower risk of dying from any cause.
Catechin not only protects the body from liberated extremists and myocardial infarctions, but also helps relax arteries by producing nitric oxide, which causes the arteries to dilate.
So it seems you can't really go wrong with drinking tea - except, perhaps, if you like to add a little milk. A recent study revealed that milk proteins known as caseins lower the catechin concentration in tea.
However, this study was small and it is difficult to assess the effect of innumerable foods on tea. Thus, let us assume that a little splash of cow juice cannot negate the rest of tea's benefits.
So try some tea. Tea is healthy, tea is good, tea is great, and Professor Trelawney would be thrilled.
Be the first to comment on this story