Tea has been around for centuries in Western Europe and the USA but it is only in the last few years that scientists have discovered its potentially disease fighting capabilities.

Tea and Cancer
First of all, green tea may be a powerful aid in the prevention of cancer caused by free radicals in the body (these are harmful molecules formed by normal bodily processes particularly in response to cigarette smoke, pollution, sunlight, etc and they can lead to malignant tumours).

At a recent conference (October 2003) held by the American Association of Cancer Research, S Yang, Ph.D., of Rutgers University, N.J said, “Laboratory studies have suggested that green tea consumption may produce many health benefits, including the prevention of cancer, but the beneficial effects in humans are not clearly known." He went on to say, “Research is now showing how this novel chemopreventive agent might work at the molecular level and in the human population.”

EGCG (epigallocatchin-3-gallate) is the most abundant and active chemopreventive agent in green tea, and has been associated with reduced risk of breast, pancreatic, colon, esophageal and lung cancers in humans. However, to sustain effective levels for biological activity, people would need to drink at least seven to eight cups of tea a day, or ingest large amounts of green tea polyphenol extract. Researchers from SRI International in Menlo Park, California, have successfully synthesized several EGCG analogs that inhibit the growth of tumor cell lines in an artificial environment with potencies equal to or greater than EGCG itself.

Tea and Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center conclude that drinking black or green tea may help reduce a potentially harmful constriction of blood vessels after a high-fat meal. Their study, presented in February 2002 at the scientific session of the American College of Cardiologists in Atlanta, adds to a growing body of research that suggests antioxidant-rich foods and beverages may help to prevent heart disease.

"Consumption of a high-fat meal can produce a chemical chain reaction within blood vessels which can temporarily impair their ability to dilate or widen, a normal response to increased blood flow. However, antioxidants seem to prevent this chain reaction, " says University of Maryland Medical Center cardiologist Mary Corretti, M.D., lead author of the study. "Our study found that drinking tea reduced the negative impact of a high-fat meal on blood vessel function," says Dr. Corretti, who is also an associate professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

"Dilation is a marker of vascular health. A reduction in the ability of blood vessels to dilate, even temporarily, can contribute to heart disease or the risk of a heart attack," says Dr. Corretti. She adds that although the study observations are preliminary, "they suggest that how we eat our food and in what combinations may have a significant impact on our overall cardiac health."

Page 2 - The History of Tea

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