Archive for the 'Tea and Health' Category
As published by the United Press International (UPI), antioxidants found in red wine and tea may help regulate blood sugar in diabetics, U.S. food scientists say. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst suggest red wine and tea may help type 2 diabetics by inhibiting the action of alpha-glucosidase, which slows down the absorption of glucose from the small intestine.
“Levels of blood sugar, or blood glucose, rise sharply in patients with type 2 diabetes immediately following a meal,” Shetty says in a statement. “Red wine and tea contain natural antioxidants that may slow the passage of glucose through the small intestine and eventually into the bloodstream and prevent this spike, which is an important step in managing this disease.”
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April 20 2008 | Tea and Health | 1 Comment »
As published on ScienceDaily.com, a group of Egyptian scientists speaking at a recent meeting of the Society of General Microbiology indicate that green tea can play an important role in fighting back illness-causing ”superbugs.” The pharmacy researchers have shown that drinking green tea helps the action of important antibiotics in their fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs, making them up to three times more effective. Green tea is a very common beverage in Egypt, and it is quite likely that patients will drink green tea while taking antibiotics. The researchers wanted to find out if green tea would interfere with the action of the antibiotics, have no effect, or increase the medicines’ effects.
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April 20 2008 | Tea and Health | No Comments »
A recent editorial on Renal and Urology News reflects on the many “pharmacologically active” substances that mankind has discovered amongst “nature’s pharmacy,” including products such as quinine (antimalarial), penicillin (antibiotic), paclitaxel (chemotheraputic), and the like. In reference to the recent Japanese study regarding green tea’s prostate cancer benefits that we covered previously, the article suggests that Camellia sinensis could be considered the latest “wonder plant:”
The latest wonder plant may be tea, reportedly the second most widely consumed drink on the planet after water. Of the three types of tea—green, black, and oolong—the most hope is pinned on the green variety, which is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant… Green tea is a rich source of antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols… A substantial and growing body of research has examined the potential health benefits of brewed green tea or green tea extracts.
And the good news just keeps on coming! With so much research and hype about tea these days, we’ll try and keep you posted on major, credible research studies as they become publicized. Stay tuned!
March 17 2008 | Tea and Health | No Comments »
More great news about drinking green tea! According to a recent Japanese study published in the online version of the American Journal of Epidemiology, drinking five or more cups of green tea a day could halve the risks of developing advanced prostate cancer.
A research team from Japan’s health ministry surveyed 49,920 men aged 40-69 across the nation in 1990 and 1993 and followed up on their health until 2004, the National Cancer Centre said. During this time, 404 men were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, of whom 114 had advanced cases, 271 were localised, and 19 were of an undetermined stage.
An analysis found the risks of having advanced prostate cancer was 50 percent lower for men who drink five or more cups of green tea a day compared with those who have less than one cup, the study said.
The incidence of prostate cancer is much lower in Asian than Western populations. The study began on the assumption that this may be linked to the high consumption of green tea in Asian populations.
January 17 2008 | Tea and Health | 1 Comment »