Benefits of Tea

Benefits of Tea (All Types of Tea)

Tea is the second most widely consumed in the world after freshwater. Tea drunk by millions of people around the world. Some historical records indicate that tea has become the beverage of human companion for over five thousand years!

There are four main types of tea: white, green, oolong, and black. The most famous tea has health benefits is green tea. However, other types of tea also has a number of beneficial health properties.

Here are the health benefits of tea:

1. Anti-cancer
   Research shows that green tea protects us from a variety of cancers, including lung, prostate and breast. Antioxidants in green tea called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), according to a team from the University of Kyushu, slows cell growth in human lung cancer significantly. People who drank at least one cup of green tea every day five times lower risk of developing lung cancer.
   Another study showed that green tea, in combination with tamoxifen, effectively suppress the growth of breast cancer.
2. Increase metabolism
   Clinical trials by the University of Geneva and the University of Birmingham indicate that green tea raises metabolic rates, speeds fat oxidation, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Catechin polyphenols in green tea thermogenesis (body heat), and hence increases energy expenditure.
3. Anti-diabetic
   There is epidemiological evidence that drinking green tea and black tea may help prevent diabetes, however associative evidence is still needed further confirmation.
4. Mental alertness
   The amino acid L-theanine, which is found in almost all types of tea, actively affects brain neurotransmitters and increases alpha wave activity. The result is your mind becomes calmer, yet more alert.
5. Immune System
   Theanine in tea may help the body's immune system response when fighting infection. A study of blood samples on 11 coffee drinkers and 10 tea drinkers, who consumed 600ml of coffee or black tea daily for four weeks, showed anti-bacterial protein production five times higher in tea drinkers.
6. Inhibit the reduction of mind
   A 2006 study showed that elderly Japanese who drank more than 2 cups of green tea a day had a 50 percent lower risk of damage to the intellect, as compared with those who drank less than two cups a day. This may be due to the effect of EGCG, which cleanse the blood flow to the brain.
7. Reduce stress
   According to research by University College London, drinking black tea can lower stress hormone (cortisol) after a stressful event. Subjects who had been drinking 4 cups of black tea daily for 6 weeks cortisol decreased 20% greater than the placebo group.
8. Recovering colitis
   Green tea has been shown to reduce intestinal inflammation. This effect seems to be related to the ability of polyphenols in green tea inhibit the inflammatory reaction.
9. Overcoming bad breath
   The researchers Universas Illinois at Chicago stated that polyphenols help inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath.
10. Overcoming iron overload
    Researchers in Germany found that drinking a cup of black tea a day can help stop excess iron in patients hemakromatosis (excess iron in the blood) due to impaired iron absorption.
11. Effects associated with caffeine
    A cup of green tea contains between 15 and 50 mg of caffeine. By drinking green tea you will get all the health benefits of caffeine.
12. Anti-stroke
    The study, presented at the International Stroke Conference in February 2009 found that drinking three or more cups of tea per day may reduce the risk of stroke by 21%.
13. Heart Health
    The University of L'Aquila in 2009 showed that drinking just one cup of regular tea per day may help protect against cardiovascular disease. Tea contains flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin which increases the reactivity of the blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and hardening of the arteries, which have an impact on heart health.
    In one study, people who drank half a cup of tea per day 40% less likely to experience a heart attack than non-drinkers.
14. Arthritis Rheumatism
    Green tea reduces the severity of rheumatoid arthritis by 78% in heavy drinkers and 40% occasional drinkers.
15. Dental Health
    Dental plaque contains more than 300 species of bacteria that attach to the surface of the teeth and cause cavities. Plaque is also a major cause of gum disease. Polyphenols in black tea can kill or suppress the growth of bacteria that cause plaque

source: Health magazine