| he last several years, we have been discovering | | | | tea to hasten the development in some individuals. |
| the health benefits of drinking green tea. In | | | | So, as laymen, what should we conclude from this |
| particular, scientists are telling us that green tea | | | | study? Well, even scientists believe that the only |
| may have significant benefits when it comes to | | | | conclusion we should draw from this study is that |
| reducing our risk of cancer, and may even help | | | | more research is required. |
| slow the progress of cancer in patients who | | | | So many studies have shown that green |
| already have the disease. | | | | tea’s anti-oxidants likely have the power |
| The power of green tea comes from its high | | | | to help us live longer and healthier lives. This study |
| level of anti-oxidants. Tea comes from the | | | | does not specifically spell out the other lifestyle |
| Camellia sinensis plant, and the tea leaves naturally | | | | habits of the lung cancer patients who drank |
| contain catechins. Catechins belong to the | | | | green tea. For example, we don’t know if |
| flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids. | | | | a large percentage of these patients also smoked. |
| EGCG is one of the many catechins contained in | | | | In addition, the study showed that the green tea |
| tea, and is considered to be the most powerful | | | | drinkers consumed the beverage in fairly small |
| anti-oxidant in tea leaves. Green tea contains | | | | amounts, but over a period of many years. So, |
| more of its original anti-oxidants than black tea | | | | we also must evaluate the level of exposure to |
| because of the processing that black tea | | | | tea and other factors. |
| undergoes. Fermenting the tea leaves, which is | | | | From evaluating just one study, there is little |
| part of processing tea leaves for black tea, | | | | information to tell us if the risk of lung cancer is |
| converts these catechins to other compounds | | | | increased when a patient drinks green tea in |
| and reduces their health benefits. | | | | combination with some other lifestyle or |
| Anti-oxidants are important to our health because | | | | environmental factor, or if there is a possible risk |
| they combat free radicals in our body. Free | | | | just from drinking green tea. This is the reason |
| radicals occur naturally as part of the process our | | | | that even the scientists who conducted the study |
| body goes through when converting food to | | | | concluded that we simply need to examine the |
| energy. Free radicals can damage our cells and our | | | | issue further. |
| DNA if we don’t combat them. | | | | Many studies have been conducted comparing the |
| This is why foods and beverages with | | | | incidence of cancer in Asian cultures with that of |
| anti-oxidants, like fruits, vegetables and green tea, | | | | European and American culture. These studies |
| are so important to our health. Anti-oxidants are | | | | have shown that Asian cultures have a |
| linked with preventing cancer, and a decreased | | | | significantly lower risk of heart disease and cancer |
| risk of stroke, heart disease and lower blood | | | | than Europe and the United States. So, it’s |
| cholesterol. | | | | safe to assume that something in the Asian |
| Of course, all of this is very good news. However, | | | | lifestyle is healthier. But, is it the tea? |
| one study seems to point us in the other | | | | Certainly, Asians drink more tea than westerners |
| direction, making it appear that green tea may | | | | (although the British come in a very close second). |
| actually increase the risk of developing lung | | | | However, Asians also are less likely to be |
| cancer. | | | | overweight, and we know that obesity is linked to |
| In a study conducted in Hong Kong, 200 women | | | | higher incidence of cancer and heart disease. |
| with lung cancer and 200 women without the | | | | The Asian diet is healthier than ours, and they eat |
| disease were interviewed about their eating and | | | | far more fish than we do. We know that a high |
| drinking habits, smoking history and exposure to | | | | consumption of fish is healthy, combating aging |
| pollution in the environment. The study showed | | | | and disease. |
| that the participants who were long term green | | | | But, Asians, especially Asian men, are more far |
| tea drinkers did have a significantly higher risk of | | | | likely to smoke than Western Europeans or |
| developing lung cancer. | | | | Americans. Yet, they have a lower risk of lung |
| In conjunction with the study on the patients, | | | | cancer and heart disease. |
| researchers also tested some brands of green | | | | So, as you can see, it’s a complicated |
| tea that are very popular in China. They found | | | | issue. It will certainly take far more research to |
| that, when the tea had a tendency to mutate | | | | determine just what the magic combination might |
| during metabolism when fed to rats. So, this may | | | | be. More comparison between Asian lifestyle and |
| further indicate that green tea, when combined | | | | our own and more studies about the specific |
| with other typical pollutants that we’re | | | | benefits and risks of certain foods and beverages |
| exposed to, may become chemically altered in | | | | may help us better determine how we can best |
| the body. This chemical change may actually | | | | use products like tea to preserve health. |
| cause long term, low dosage exposure to green | | | | |