The Power of Tea
Move over coffee, make room for something healthier. The touted advantages from drinking tea promises a myriad of health benefits including the prevention of certain cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and heart disease. The root behind the evil fighting ability of tea? Antioxidants.
Free radicals are molecules that are found in the environment and are also naturally produced by the body. These free radicals can damage cells which contribute to the development of many chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants work to protect the body against free radicals.
The camellia tea plant, also known as camellia sinensis, is rich in polyphenols which is a type of antioxidant. Polyphenols are also believed to have anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Green tea, black tea and oolong tea all come from this same plant, but makes its distinction based on the process in which they are fermented. Green tea and black tea are rich in a specific kind of antioxidant called flavonoids. Flavonoids work by detoxifying cells and protecting them against free radicals.
Green or Black?
Both green tea and black tea have high antioxidant levels and research hasn’t found the clear winner. Some studies suggest green tea to be a potent cancer fighter while other studies found that black tea is more heart healthy.
Just how much antioxidants are in tea? Surprisingly, one cup of tea contains more antioxidants than a serving of any fruit of vegetable. Whether the tea is brewed, powdered, bottled or decaffeinated, they all contain as much antioxidants as fruit, with brewed tea containing the most.
In order to reap any possible benefits, a person may have to consume several cups per day. The amount of antioxidants that your body actually absorbs is not known. Although many promising studies have been conducted on animals and cells in laboratories, nothing has yet been proven on humans. It is also important to note that the FDA does not approve the use of the claim that tea can prevent cancer.
The bottom line: If you’re drinking tea, you’re not drinking soda. That’s one definite health benefit.