Tea Beneficial for Your Health

Dear Dr. Dave & Dr. Dee,

I drink tea instead of coffee, and I've noticed that I seem healthier than my coffee drinking co-workers. I rarely take sick leave, but my office mate seems to use up all of hers. Do you think tea is good for your health?

Signed,

Tea time

Dear Tea time,

Tea does appear to have beneficial effects. According to Green Tea Health News, some of the medical benefits of tea are below (www.green-tea-health-news.com).

Green Tea Benefits:

1. Lower Cancer Risk: breast, lung, colon, prostate, cervical, ovarian, mesothelioma, esophageal, stomach.

2. Prevent Heart Disease: lowers cholesterol, prevents artery blockages, lowers blood pressure.

3. Speed Up Weight Loss: fat blocker, boost metabolism, increase endurance, anti-fatigue.

4. Protect Brain Function: memory, stroke, Alzheimer's, Parkinson�s.

5. Defend Immune System: flu, salmonella, common cold, HIV-AIDS.

6. More Health Conditions Improved: including anti-aging, acne, allergies, body odor, sleep apnea, osteoporosis.

Teas contain polyphenols, in particular flavonoids, which are antioxidants. Antioxidants protect against cell damage - the oxidative damage linked to degenerative conditions such as heart disease and cancer. According to cancer researcher, Dr. John Weisburger, tea antioxidants may be 100 times the effectiveness of vitamin C and 25 times vitamin E (Weisburger cited in CNN.com, 2000).

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) continues to conduct clinical studies to examine the benefits of green tea in relation to different types of cancers. The NCI noted that some animal studies have found an association between tea and the reduction of cancer tumors in mice. But, human studies have had mixed results, perhaps due to variances in population, diet, and environment. (National Cancer Institute, 2002).

Overall, it appears that drinking tea can be beneficial for your health.

For more information, go to www.green-tea-health-news.com and www.cancer.gov