Green Tea Reduces Risk of Cancer | HACCPEuropa

News

November 2, 2012 , Robert Vock

Green tea is widely consumed in Asia and becomes more popular in Western nations. Green tea is a drink made from the steamed and dried leaves of the?Camellia sinesis?plant. Black tea is also made from this plant, but unlike green tea, black tea is made from leaves that have been fermented. Fermentation may reduce the levels of some compounds, such as antioxidants, in the tea.

Green tea may have the ability to help prevent cancers of the skin, esophagus, stomach, colon, pancreas, lung, bladder, prostate, and breast.

Green tea contains chemicals known as polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties. The major group of polyphenols in green tea are called?catechins, and the most important catechin seems to be epigallocatechin gallate. ?Catechins have antioxidant properties and may inhibit cancer by reducing DNA damage and blocking tumor cell growth and invasion.

A new study led by researchers from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center reports that women who drink green tea may lower their risk of developing some digestive system cancers, especially cancers of the stomach/esophagus and colorectum.

To determine green tea?s impact on cancer risk, the researchers surveyed women enrolled in the Shanghai Women?s Health Study, a population-based study of approximately 75,000 middle-aged and older Chinese women. During the initial interview participants were asked if they drank tea, the type of tea consumed and how much they consumed. Most of the Chinese women reported drinking primarily green tea.

The research team found that regular tea consumption, defined as tea consumption at least three times a week for more than six months, was associated with a 17 percent reduced risk of all digestive cancers combined. A further reduction in risk was found to be associated with an increased level of tea drinking. Specifically, those who consumed about two to three cups per day (at least 150 grams of tea per month) had a 21 percent reduced risk of digestive system cancers.

The trend toward fewer digestive cancers was strongest for stomach/esophageal and colorectal cancers. For all digestive system cancers combined, the risk was reduced by 27 percent among women who had been drinking tea regularly for at least 20 years. For colorectal cancer, risk was reduced by 29 percent among the long-term tea drinkers. These results suggest long-term cumulative exposure may be particularly important.

The researchers also asked about other lifestyle factors including the kinds of food eaten regularly, exercise habits, education level and occupation. Women who had ever smoked or who drank alcohol were excluded from the study.

Regular tea drinkers in the study were younger, had higher education, exercised more and consumed more fruits and vegetables. While the researchers adjusted for these factors, they could not rule out an effect from these and other unmeasured lifestyle habits.

The study was conducted in non-smoking and nondrinking Chinese women to minimize the potential influence of these two risk factors on the results for tea consumption and digestive system cancer risk.

?

?

You might be also interested in:

Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs and Tea Help Reduce Risk for Prostate Cancer A new study finds that a high intake of flavonoids, a group of compounds found in plants, may lower the...

Green Tea Boosts Brain Cell Production to Aid Memory It has long been believed that drinking green tea is good for the memory. Now researchers have discovered how the...

Chocolate Reduces Risk of Stroke in Men Eating a moderate amount of chocolate each week may be associated with a lower risk of stroke in men, according...

Source: http://www.haccpeuropa.com/2012/11/02/green-tea-reduces-risk-of-cancer/

sugar bowl mild kidney failure presidential candidates celebrity wife swap gla republican candidates mike martz