Americans are drinking three times more tea than a decade ago -- black tea, green tea, red tea, even tea spiked with essence of broccoli -- because tea is a terrific health drink. Both black and green tea are antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory. Tea is loaded with antioxidant flavonoids that may help fight heart disease, cancer, bone loss and weight gain, says Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University, chairman of a recent tea symposium.
Here's what's brewing in tea research:
Black tea for hearts. About 90% of what Americans consume is black tea (fermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis shrub; examples include English breakfast, darjeeling and Earl Grey). Drinking 30 ounces (about 4 cups) of black tea daily reduced bad LDL cholesterol by 11% in a new U.S. Department of Agriculture study. In another study, the same amount of tea improved blood vessel function in heart patients by 50%. Bonus: Black tea also may fight cancer, studies suggest.
Green tea for cancers. Also from the Camellia sinensis shrub, these unfermented leaves retain more antioxidants, in particular the cancer fighter EGCG. Drinking green tea has been linked to less cancer of the lung, stomach, colon, rectum, breast, prostate, pancreas and esophagus. New Tufts research shows that chemicals in green tea may cut off blood supply to cancer cells. Taking green tea extract equivalent to 3 cups of green tea daily cut oral pre-cancers by 38%. Bonus: EGCG may help burn calories and protect brain cells against damage leading to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
"Red tea" has promise. Increasingly popular is a caffeine-free red "tea" called rooibos (ROY-boss) from South Africa. Unlike other herbal "teas," rooibos contains potent antioxidants. Tests haven't been done in humans, but animal and cell studies suggest it may reduce cell damage that can lead to cancer, heart attacks and strokes.
Super tea is fortified with broccoli extract. Johns Hopkins University has created a double-whammy tea named Brassica. Each bag of black or green tea has, in addition to its own antioxidants, an infusion of broccoli's powerful antioxidant SGS (it's equal to 1/2 cup of cooked broccoli, but don't worry -- there's no broccoli taste). Brassica is available at specialty stores or by calling 866-747-0001.
How strong is your cup?
Tea's antioxidant activity varies hugely by type and brand, but brewed green tea generally has the most. To show how they stack up (roughly), we've assigned brewed green tea a value of 10.
Brewed green tea: 10
Brewed black tea: 7
Decaf green tea: 5
Red herbal tea: 3.5-5
Decaf black tea: 3.5
Bottled iced tea and instant tea: 0 or little
Herbal tea (most varieties): 0 or little
For maximum oomph
Use tea bags or loose tea, not mixes.
Let tea steep in hot water 3 to 5 minutes.
Drink three or more cups or glasses a day.
It's OK to add a little milk, lemon or sugar.
Use strong brewed tea for iced tea.
Sources: UCLA, HerbalGram
SCIENTIFIC SOURCES FOR THIS ARTICLE
Tea's promise
-- Blumberg, Jeffrey, Journal of Nutrition, 133:3244S-3246S, 2003
-- Peters U, Am J Epidemiol 2001 Sep 15;154(6):495-503
Antioxidant levels
-- Henning , S.M., Nutrition and Cancer, 45(2):226-235, 2003
Black tea and cholesterol
-- Davies, MJ J Nutr 133;3298S-3302S, 2003
Black tea and blood vessel function
-- Vita J. Circulation, July 10, 2001, 104(2): 151-6
Black tea and cancer
-- Wu AH Cancer Res 2003 Nov 1; 63(21): 7526-0
Green tea and cancers
-- Henning Susanne M., Nutrition and Cancer 45(2): 226-235
-- Tang FY. Int J Cancer, 2003 Oct 10:106(6): 871-8
-- Li, Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 1999, : 220:218-224
Green tea and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
-- Levites Y. FASEB J 2003 May; 17(8):952-4
Our High Antioxidant Green Tea Extract contains 450 mg of green tea of which 70% is EGCG. This is equal to the antioxidants in 3 cups of green tea. Careful, many green tea supplements only contain 20% to 40% EGCG. See related items below.
