There have been more than 5000 years history of drinking tea in China, and drinking tea had become a part of the traditional Chinese culture (Mc Carthy). A long time ago, Chinese herbalist doctors had found the benefits of tea for human body. Nowadays, more and more people enjoy the
tea across the world. According to recent research, drinking tea, especially green tea can not only refresh your energy, and calm your temper, but also can prevent cancer, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Most tea researchers focus on the benefits of green tea to prevent cancer (Tyler). Two Purdue professors, D. James Morre, and Dorothy Morre found that NOX proteins are on the surface of cancer cells to increase the size of cancer cells and finally cause cancer cells to divide. However, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which are found in green tea can fight against NOX proteins and sequentially inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Fortunately enough, the EGCG doesn’t harm the healthy tissue when it kills cancer cells.
In addition, green tea has good effects on curing heart disease. A number of researchers have found that flavonoids in green tea can lower the risk of heart disease and decrease the number of people death from heart disease, because flavonoids prohibit the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein which causes atherosclerosis and inhibits the formation of blood clots. They recruited 1900 patients who have heart disease and divided them into three groups: non-drinker, moderate drinker (less than 14 cup per week), and heavy drinker (14 or more cup per week). During the next 3.8 years, 313 patients died, among whom 75 percent were from heart disease. After conducting some statistics, researchers concluded that the death rate in moderate tea drinker group was 28 percent lower than in non-drinker group, and death rate in heavy tea drinker group was 44 percent lower than in non-drinker group.
Furthermore, green tea can help prevent rheumatoid arthritis because tea comprises plenty of polyphenols that have antioxidant properties, and the antioxidant activities can weaken the severity of rheumatoid arthritis. According to a study from CWRU’s School of Medicine Study, mice which were injected with the virus of arthritis were used; such arthritis was similar to rheumatoid arthritis in human. Eight (44 percent) out of the 18 mice that were given green tea developed arthritis; in contrast, 17 (94 percent) out of the 18 mice that weren’t given green tea developed arthritis.
In addition to preventing cancer, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, green tea also has other health benefits, such as remedying inflammation and decreasing the aging process of brain (Tyler). Green tea is also cheap beverage which everyone can afford. Researchers suggest that people should drink tea frequently for their health and they have been trying to make some green tea food in order to let more people gain the healthy elements from green tea.
Works Cited
“Green Tea Can Help Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Science Daily. 27 Mar. 2006. Case Western Reserve University. 27 Mar. 2006
Maclure, Malcolm, James E. Muller, Jane B. Sherwood, and Murray A. Mittleman. “Steeped in Research: Tea Linked to Survival After Heart Attack.” American Heart Association. 05 July 2002. 27 Mar. 2006
Mc Carthy S. “TO Your Health.” Vegetarian Times (2004). EBSCO. Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey. 20 Mar. 2006.
Tyler, Varro E. “Prevent Cancer with Green Tea.” Prevention (2001). Health Source. EBSCO. Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey. 20 Mar. 2006.