Can Green Tea Extracts Affect Parkinson's?  Read excerpts from a recent study.

  Putting milk in your tea?  Not so fast!  Read a new study that shows milk negates many healthful properties of tea.

  Is tea really healthier than water?  Read the results of new research as reported by the BBC.

  Can black tea really soothe away stress?  Read what they learned at University College London.

   The benefits of including tea as part of a healthy lifestyle are indisputable.  It seems new reports appear almost daily, showing the chemicals present in true tea from Camilla Sinensis  (not herbal beverages) are shown to protect the body against stomach, breast, colon, and skin cancers, to lower blood pressure, to lower serum cholesterol, and triglycerides, and normalize blood sugar.

   Leading medical journals support the ancient proclamation that tea is the most potent health beverage ever, showing it has strong properties as a potential heart tonic, cancer blocker, fat buster, immune stimulant, arthritis soother, virus fighter and cholesterol detoxifier.  Most research shows significant health benefits in people who consumed 4 cups of tea daily, although many benefits were found in those who consumed as little as 3 cups a day.  Some of the impressive therapeutic properties about green and black tea health benefits to date are:

q       Green tea speeds up the metabolism to burn more calories and fat- A Swiss study showed a daily dose of 270mg EGCG (the amount in 3 cups of green tea) caused men to burn 4% more energy - about 80 extra calories a day.  Green tea did not increase heart rate, and the calorie burning was not due to caffeine.

q       Green tea decreases inflammation and development of arthritis and other conditions- Case Western Reserve University study found that the equivalent of 4 cups of green tea daily reduced the development of arthritis in rats by 50%.  A UCLA study found drinking green tea reduced inflammation of the stomach that could lead to stomach cancer.

q       Black tea can reduce tumor growth -a Rutgers University study found that a component of black tea called TF-2 caused colorectal cancer cells to "commit suicide" reduced tumor growth in colorectal cancer.

q       Black tea can lower the risk of Atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), stroke, and heart attack- a large 10-year study in the Netherlands, found men who consumed the amount of antioxidants called ‘catechins’ found in three cups of black tea, were 50% less likely to die of ischemic heart disease, caused by narrowed, clogged arteries.  Another study at Boston University School of Medicine found a 50% improvement in heart patients with impaired blood vessel functioning (a risk factor for heart attack and strokes) who drank four cups of black tea daily.

q       Tea can lower the risk of viral infections-a Harvard study indicated that tea chemicals stimulated gamma-delta T-cells that bolster immunity against bacteria and viruses.

q       Black tea can boost immunity and reduce the risk of influenza-a Japanese study showed that gargling with black tea boosted immunity to influenza.

   To promote better health, drink at least four 8-ounce cups of freshly brewed tea each day.  Note that instant, bottled, decaffeinated, highly processed, and herbal teas do not have the critical antioxidant properties of green, black teas.

   For more information on how tea can help you achieve a healthy life style, we encourage you to consult with your primary care physician, visit our pressroom, and explore these helpful Web resources:

Net Nutritionist

National Cancer Institute

American Cancer Society

American Heart Association