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Spot of tea may dab out cancer risk By Chelsea Craddock “Tea time” is no longer an activity reserved for the British. For centuries people have used tea for its calming properties as well as its healing powers. Discovered in China more than 4,700 years ago for Emperor Shennong, tea has been used for centuries to treat problems such as tumors and bladder ailments. Today, tea consumption is seen as a healthy alternative to drinking mass amounts of soda. While there is an endless array of teas, only certain kinds have healing benefits. Teas made from camellia sinensis such as white teas, black teas, oolong teas and green teas, seem to have the most beneficial properties. Green tea is seen as valuable, and is a viable treatment to many different diseases. The high number of epigallocatechin gallate antioxidants (EGCG) tea contains called polyphenols, flavanoids and catechins absorb into the free radicals, which can cause cancer our bodies contain, thereby preventing the healthy cells in our body from being harmed. This is key in disease prevention. White tea has the highest amount of antioxidants. According to a 2003 University of Chicago study, tea also contains fluoride, which helps teeth stay strong, and polyphenols found in tea protect against bad breath. There have also been many studies on the effects of teas on cancer. Many of them suggest that green tea protects against a range of cancers including prostate, breast and lung cancer. A 2004 study at Kyushu University in Japan found that the growth of human lung cancer cells slowed down after only three cups of green tea. Studies of the effects of green tea on breast cancer also showed effective tumor suppression. The effects of tea in HIV and AIDS patients have also been observed. A 2007 article in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that EGCG found in green tea can inhibit the HIV virus in some patients. While it is by no means a cure, it has been found to help. According to a study by Michael Liebman and Shawnna Murphy in 2007, teas have also been found to have great effects on general body health. Drinking a few cups of green tea in the morning instead of coffee helps speed up metabolism, assisting in weight loss, as well as boosting the immune system. Tea drinkers can also be more alert because tea increases brainwave activity. Black tea also has extreme stress hormone properties, which lowers the amount of cortisol released by the body in stressful situations. Teas also contain oxalate which, if you drink a lot of it, can soak up any free calcium your body might have — but this only happens when you drink excessive amounts. Another more serious side effect of tea can be caused by a chemical called tannin. According to a 1990 issue of the National Health Review, the tannin contained in tea and red wine has been directly linked to some nasal and esophageal cancers. However, adding milk to teas binds molecules with the tannin, cancelling out the effects and rendering it harmless. |
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