Tea is second only to water as the most consumed
drink in the world. Each individual society has
created different rituals to enjoy the qualities
of tea: from the English ritual, created in the
Victorian age to satisfy that particular
afternoon appetite, to the ceremony in Zen
philosophy, a real meditation session. In Great
Britain tea time is still a social event, and it
is becoming more and more fashionable for the
younger generations. It might be because we want
to counter effect a stressful life with a
relaxing moment, or find a way to take control
of our time, enjoy the day and be surrounded by
the serenity of ancient rituals.
Tea is not just a tasty
pleasure that invigorates, it also has therapeutic
qualities.
Physiological
benefits
First of all tea stimulates diuresis,
thanks to the water, the metilxantine and
polyphenols which are contained in the drink.
The University of Geneva has discovered that tea
extracts can notably increase (4%) the daily
consumption of calories, not only because of the
caffeine or theine, which accelerate metabolism,
but also thanks to the catechins which have the
ability to increase the rate of thermogenesis.
Cardiovascular
benefits.
It is common knowledge nowadays that tannins and
flavonoids in tea have antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties:
epigallocatechin-3-gallate (Egcg), present above
all in green tea, has a primary role in the
prevention of some cardiovascular pathologies.
Green tea extract is effective in reducing
cholesterol, lowering triglyceride levels and
improving the vascular functions.
This information was
brought to light in a study carried out by a group of
researchers from the Hospital Clinico Virgen de la
Victoria in Malaga and then published in the Journal of
the American College of Nutrition.
It has been proved experimentally that polyphenols have
a protective effect against the atheromatosis generation
on an arterial level. The antioxidant effect seems to be
at the base of the protection against Alzheimer’s
disease.
Protection against caries
Tea prevents dental caries, and the antibacterial
effects of green tea, against the bacteria responsible
for dental caries, have been experimentally confirmed.
Skeleton
Recent research suggests that green tea strengthens
bones, reduces the action of osteoclasts and slows bone
destruction. Furthermore, green tea stimulates higher
bone deposition and induces an antioxidant action.
Good for the
liver
An article published in the Gastroenterology
magazine states that, according to the American
researchers who carried out the study, drinking
two or more cups of tea a day may help reduce
the development of chronic liver diseases
in people with high risk of hepatic pathologies.
Anti-tumor
effects
According to the researchers of the Karolinska
Institutes of Stockholm, a prestigious Swedish
research institute, women who drink two or more
cups of tea every day could see a reduction
of 50% in the risk of ovary tumours. Women
who drank less than one cup a day were 18% less
at risk to ovary tumours than women who had
never drunk tea. Women who drank a cup a day had
a 24% lower risk, but the percentage of risk for
those who drink two or more cups a day is as low
as 46%.
Data presented by the
American Cancer Society shows that in Italy every year
there are 12 cases of deadly prostate tumours in 100,000
people, whereas in China only 1 (e.g. less than 1/10)
and in Japan, 5. The percentage of breast, colon, skin,
pancreas tumour and other neoplastic diseases is also
lower amongst those who drink green tea. In Japan, women
who are experts on the tea ceremony enjoy special health
and longevity; cases of tumour in their group are even
more rare and come even later in life than for the
average population. All this data justifies what is
known as the "Japanese paradox": the Japanese, who have
the highest rate of smokers in the world, suffer less
from lung tumours thanks to the fact that they drink
green tea.
Black tea is
healthy too
IGreen tea contains mostly simple flavonoids
called “catechins”, whereas black tea
contains different varieties of flavonoids such
as “theaflavins” and “thearubigins” which are
formed during the fermentation process. Until
recently green tea was believed to have higher
health properties, but current studies, even
though “in vitro”, have proved that the
flavonoids formed during the fermentation
process of tea play an important preventative
role and hence the choice of tea is just a
question of personal taste.
Not recommended to
There are no real counter-indications, but we
recommend a limited intake to subjects who suffer from
“iron-deficiency” anaemia because tannins, when
taken in abundance, reduce the absorption of iron if
coming from a vegetable source. In such cases, it is
preferable to drink tea after meals. An abundant intake
of tannins is also not recommended to those who suffer
from dyspepsia.
To fully appreciate tea, it is very much advised not to
add milk or lemon juice, because they spoil its original
flavour. Moreover, milk slows down the absorption of
polyphenols.
The refreshing “iced tea” is a pleasant summer drink
which has little in common with real tea. Usually, each
can of tea contains about three spoons of sugar which
add superfluous calories and makes the thirst-quenching
power of this drink less effective.
The information in this article has been collected
from results of preliminary studies, which are therefore
subject to further confirmation. Don’t forget that it is
your lifestyle which bears the highest influence on the
state of your health.
Dr. Angelo Bianco Specialist in Nephrology and nutrition science; diet
consultant at Abano’s nursing home.
He’s also an expert in acupuncture, fitotherapy, Bach
flower and Australian flower therapy
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