A sip against cancer
According to legend, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung, known as the divine healer, believed that drinking boiled water promoted health.
While the emperor was boiling his water one day in 2737 B.C. C., a gust of wind sent some loose leaves from a nearby Camellia Sinensis plant into the pot.
The emperor took a sip of the concoction and declared that it gave vigor to the body, satisfaction of mind, and determination of purpose.”
There is now ample evidence that tea in its many forms has a staggering number of health benefits, reducing the risk of cancer and other diseases.
The reason why tea is considered a healthy drink is because of its main compound called catechins.
What are catechins? It is a compound related to antioxidants in wine.
What are antioxidants? Substances that help prevent cell damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals that cause damage or actual damage to the human body.
Researchers at the University of Kansas have shown that the antioxidants in tea are more powerful than those found in even the most antioxidant-rich vegetables. The fact that the tea contains no kilojoules further enhances its reputation as a healthy beverage.
There are 3 main varieties of tea, all of which are made from the leaves of the same evergreen Camellia bush that Emperor Shen Nung found. The main varieties of tea are green, black and oolong. The difference between them is their process on how to make them out of those camellia leaves.
Black tea: Oolong tea is partially fermented, while green tea is brewed by steaming or barely heating the tea leaves.
Among these 3 varieties of tea, green tea has the strongest healing powers to offer. The reason is that the fermentation that black and oolong teas have in their process destroys the catechins in the tea. After processing, green tea contains up to 40% catechins, compared to between 8 and 20% in oolong and around 4% in black tea.
The secret of green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in which the researchers discovered. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant, in addition to inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it also kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissues already in the body. It can also lower LDL cholesterol levels and inhibit the abnormal formation of blood clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes.
More anti-cancer benefits: Thanks to additional studies conducted at Oregon State University, we now know that it can stop cancers from developing once they’ve started, reduce cancer risk, and prevent cancer.
In a breast cancer clinical study, women under the age of 50 who consumed 3 or more cups of tea per day were 37% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not drink.
In clinical trials of colorectal cancer, women who drank 5 or more cups of green tea daily had a significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who did not drink green tea.
Similar results were achieved when mice given green or black tea were exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation, the main risk factor for developing cancer in humans. They were found to be significantly less likely to develop skin cancer lesions.
Ovarian Cancer: In China, a clinical study was conducted on patients with ovarian cancer, and researchers found that women who drank at least 1 cup of green tea per day survived longer with the disease than those who did not drink green tea.