Health Benefits of Tea
We're Not Doctors, but. . .
Tea is a refreshing beverage that contains no sodium, fat, carbonation, or sugar. It is virtually calorie-free. Tea helps maintain proper fluid balance and may contribute to overall good health.
Tea contains flavonoids, naturally occurring compounds that are believed to have antioxidant properties. Tea flavonoids often provide bioactive compounds that help to neutralize free radicals, which scientists believe, over time, damage elements in the body, such as genetic material and lipids, and contribute to chronic disease.
Every day, new findings from the international scientific community lend credibility to tea’s healthy properties. Recent research has explored the potential health attributes of tea through studies in humans, animal models and through in vitro laboratory research. For the most part, studies conducted on green and black tea, which are both from the Camellia sinensis plant, have yielded similar results.
Recent research suggests that tea and tea flavonoids may play important roles in various areas of health and may operate through several different mechanisms still being explored.
Research continues, and the list of key areas of research are as follows:
* * * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.* * *
Heart Health.
Human population studies have found that people who regularly consume three or more cups of black tea per day have a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.
The current body of research suggests that drinking tea can offer significant heart health benefits including reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events, slowing the progression of disease, lowering Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, and improving blood pressure – with benefits seen with just one cup and upwards of six cups a day.
Certain Cancers.
More than 3,000 published research studies have evaluated the effect of tea—White, Green, Oolong or Black—and tea compounds, such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), on the risk of a variety of cancer types.
A study published in the February 2015 issue of the Journal of Molecular Nutrition and Food Research found that the main antioxidant in Green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), helps kill cancer cells through the destruction of the cells’ mitochondria.
Various research studies have identified an association between tea consumption and:
- a reduction in rectal cancer risk,
- reduced risk for colon cancer,
- lower risk of skin cancer,
- a significantly lower risk of the most common form of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma,
- a slowing of prostate cancer progression.
- EGCG has been shown to have an anti-carcinogenic effect on cervical cancer.
Neurological Health.
Research has identified several modifiable factors that may help slow the progression or reduce the risk of age-related neurological declines and diseases. Tea may be one of the modifiable factors as the antioxidants in tea may protect brain cells from environmental insults from free radical exposure. In addition, L-theanine in tea has been shown to directly affect areas of the brain that control attention and ability to solve complex problems.
Theanine, an amino acid that is for the most part uniquely found in tea (Green and Black), may help prevent age-related memory decline.
EGCG may have the ability to increase protein clearance to attenuate Alzheimeer’s Disease progression, especially early on in disease diagnosis.
Beyond neurocognitive decline, tea has been shown to have several other benefits on the brain
Diabetes.
Black tea may have a positive effect on long-term diabetes management.
Randomized control trial found that black tea consumption resulted in lowered hemoglobin A1C, decreased expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, which may reduce oxidative stress.
Weight Management
Several studies suggest drinking calorie-free tea may help with weight management. Preliminary research suggested that tea flavonoids help elevate metabolic rate, increase fat oxidation and improve insulin activity. Tea catechins can also provide modest shifts in metabolism that may improve weight loss and maintenance.
Bone Health.
Higher tea consumption was associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis.
Drinking tea is associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) and has been shown to boost bone-building markers and improve muscle mass, both of which may reduce the risk for osteoporosis and fracture.
Immune Function.
Tea contains a component that can help the body ward off infection and disease and that drinking tea may strengthen the immune system. L-theanine, found in tea, primes the immune system in fighting infection, bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Drinking black tea provides the body’s immune system with natural resistance to microbial infection.
References:
- Tea Fact Sheet 2021, Tea Association of the USA, http://www.teausa.com/teausa/images/Tea_Fact_2021.pdf
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.