TEA & HEALTH

In today's marketplace it's almost impossible not to notice how popular tea has become. And although it's been around for centuries, tea has been getting a lot of press lately for it's healing and therapeutic properties.

At macha we are very interested in tea as part of a healthy lifestyle, but we also want to be careful about making the same general claims often used to market tea products.

What we do know is that there are naturally occurring compounds in tea (especially green and herbal teas) that help promote good health. Green teas contain high levels of unoxidized polyphenols, which are plant compounds that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help to control free radicals—unstable molecules which contribute to the development of chronic disease.

One of the most powerful polyphenols is epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. Found only in green tea, EGCG is being studied for it's promising role in cancer prevention.

Other studies have linked tea (mostly green and herbal) to the following:

• oral health through plaque prevention
• cardiovascular health
• reduced cholesterol
• weight loss
• strong immunity
• healthy digestion

There is a lot of research out there, and it can be overwhelming, so here are just a few links:

Tea Time: Researchers suggest tea may treat and prevent some forms of cancer American Cancer Society read more

Tea and Chocolate Beneficial for Hearth Health, studies suggest Science Daily read more

Studies suggest health benefits of tea Healthlink, Medical College of Wisconsin read more

Milk in tea 'blocks health gains' BBC News, Health read more

Benefit of Green Tea Harvard Women's Health Watch read more