Making Tea from Bulk or Loose Leaves to Get Maximum Health Benefits

The Antioxidants in Tea May Target and Repair Damaged DNA, Stop or Prevent Malignancies--a Natural Cure

The antioxidants in tea reduce tumor size in lab tests, may repair damaged DNA, and may inhibit cancerous cell enzyme activity, according to the U.S. National Institute of Health (National Cancer Institute).

This article discusses the health benefits of tea, which tea is best, which tea is ineffective, and the best method of brewing tea to reap the maximum health benefits.

What's in tea?
Tea (camellia sinensis) contains antioxidants called catechins, which are in the family of flavonoids. Antioxidants are life-saving, because they neutralize cancer-causing molecules called oxidants, also called free radicals, according to WellBeyond100.com/cancer.aspx. Also, according to WellBeyond100.com, oxidants attach themselves to cell proteins and genetic material, damaging it, setting off a chain reaction of damaged cells, a malignancy. Antioxidants neutralize oxidants, halting this chain reaction of malignant growth.

When the Kuna people of Panama were studied because of their extremely low incidence of stroke, heart failure, cancer, and diabetes, it was found that they drank an average of 40 cups of catechin-containing (antioxidant) beverages per week.

Green and black teas contain the most catechins, according to the National Cancer Institute. One study shows green tea catechins have an antibiotic property because they interrupt the DNA of bacteria, preventing it from replicating (Journal of Medical Chemistry, 1/25/2007;50 [2]:264-71).

Green and black tea may slow the aging process, according to the American Journal of Physiology (May 14, 2008; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00880.2007 0363-6119/08). In the study described in this article, mice were fed green-tea catechins, and showed decreased levels of aging. These same mice physically outperformed mice that did not receive the antioxidant by a significant margin. Additionally, their cells maintained a healthy level of oxygen (contributing to the superior stamina), and excellent cell division was observed with DNA intact.