December 07/January 08

Power Shift
Ted Glick

Franklin Roosevelt and My Father
Bill Moyers

Mobilizing to Save Civilization
Lester Brown

Feed Your Brain
Jurriaan Kamp

Are You Getting Enough Sun?
Kim Ridley

Old McDonald Had a Farm … and He Got Arrested?
David E Gumpert

Four-Seasons Harvest
Eliott Coleman

The Health Benefits of Tea
Jody Woodrull

Safe, Green, Non-Toxic Toys

You Can Change The World
Guy Finley

The Power of the Horse/Human Connection
Patricia Broersma

Toxic Toys Banned in Europe Are Still Legal In The U.S.
Mark Schapiro

Films of the Future
Siskiyou Film Fest

Cosmic Calendar
Salina Rain

BACK TO TOP

The Health Benefits of Tea

By Jody Woodruff

Tea has come a long way. Produced from the plant Camellia sinensis, tea was firmly established in the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD) as a national drink in China and spread to Japan to become a vital part of Japanese culture as well. Much later, traders and missionaries introduced tea to Europe where it was particularly adopted by the English. Tea has been ritualized, commercialized, traded, smuggled, taxed—the ancient culture of tea ultimately shamed by the invention of the tea bag by ever enterprising Americans in the early nineteen hundreds. Even prior to the Tang Dynasty, Chinese herbalists prescribed tea for medicinal purposes—nevertheless in Europe and America the belief of whether tea is good or bad for one’s heath has flip-flopped over the centuries. Now scientific researchers are seriously analyzing it.

Studies over the past few years show that polyphenols (micro nutrients)—found especially in vegetables, fruits and berries as well as drinks such as green and black teas and red wine—can be beneficial in preventing a number of degenerative conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Different results are achieved according to the amount of polyphenols consumed, making some sources more beneficial than others.

Black tea may help diabetics because it appears to stimulate an insulin response and reduce blood sugar levels (according to research done in the UK). Green tea, however, is richer in caterchin polyphenols, particularly epigalloctechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful antioxidant. Researchers claim EGCG inhibits the growth of cancer cells without harming healthy tissue and is effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. According to other researchers, green tea may also help protect against autoimmune disease, including Sjogren’s Syndrome which causes dry mouth symptoms and affects many elderly. About 30% of elderly are affected by dry mouth in the US, but in China, where green tea is widely consumed, only about 5% suffer from this problem.

New evidence shows that the benefits of green tea aren’t limited to our internal organs. It can also improve the health of the skin, reducing sunburn damage and decreasing the risk of skin cancer when applied topically. In addition, its bacteria destroying abilities can kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque, leading to a whole new industry of preparations containing green tea that have begun to appear on the market, particularly deodorants and skin creams.

For many years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans despite diets richer in fat. The answer has been found to lay in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a type of polyphenol that limits the negative effects of a fatty diet and smoking. Nevertheless, researchers from the University of Kansas found that EGCG (in green tea) is twice as powerful as resveratrol. This may also explain why heart disease among Japanese men, who drink green tea, is quite low even though many are smokers.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, a proponent of green tea, comments that next to pure water, drinking green tea from quality tea leaves is one of the most nutritious beverages you can consume. Nevertheless, in choosing green tea, he reminds us that not all tea is created equal. Green tea that is not organically grown often contains aluminum or fluorides, substances that may be harmful. Recent studies indicate a possible effect of the fluoride in tea on thyroid function. Quality, even among organic teas, varies as well. Although the majority of green teas are brown, the most superior green tea is green. If it isn’t bright green, it won’t provide the full benefits. He recommends Matcha green tea as being the most nutrient rich and least bitter, the best source coming from Japan.

As beneficial as green tea may be, vegetables, fruits and berries are still the best source of polyphenols. How these foods are prepared, however, contributes to their effectiveness. Since polyphenols are more highly concentrated in the outer parts of fruits and vegetables, peeling will decrease the beneficial content. Overcooking will also cause a decrease in polyphenol content. Thus, consuming fresh, raw produce—organically and locally grown—produces the maximum benefit. In addition, avoiding sugars and processed foods will maximize the use of intestinal flora for your body to better use the polyphenols that you consume.

In short, have a good cuppa, or two or three. But a word of caution: Eat lots of vegetables, fruits and berries. You can’t drink yourself to good health by tea alone.

Jody Woodruff is a retired social worker and educational film writer who now writes freelance from Talent, Oregon.