Health benefits of white tea
Although tea drinking has been associated with health benefits for centuries, only in recent years have its medicinal properties been investigated scientifically.Tea's health benefits are largely due to its high content of flavonoids (compounds that are antioxidants ). White tea is the best food source of a group called catechins. In test tubes, catechins are more powerful than vitamins C and E in halting oxidative damage to cells and appear to have other disease-fighting properties.
- White tea targets cancer: At the recent International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer sponsored by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), scientists presented new evidence about phytochemicals in green tea and white tea that may help prevent normal cells from developing into cancer and spreading.The active green tea substance, called EGCG, seems to target one protein called HSP90 which is present at higher levels in many cancer cells, and it does so with a degree of precision that cancer drugs still aren't able to match.
What the scientits have discovered is that the active substance in green tea already does what drugs still can't do: "EGCG targets HSP90, binds directly to it, and keeps it from passing on signals that can start the cancer process," said Gasiewicz. "As a result, potentially harmful genes are less likely to get turned on, and the cascade of events leading to cancer is cut off before it begins."
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- Cholesterol: Studies of large populations have found that, on average, the more white teathat people drink the lower their total and LDL cholesterol levels. The best results were seen with 10 daily cups of white tea, but is not necessary to drink that much to see a difference.Researchers believe that white tea lowers blood cholesterol by reducing its absorption in the digestive tract, and increases its excretion.Moreover white tea avoids the conversion of LDL to its more dangerous, oxidized form (atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke).
- Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases: According to the December 2007 issue of Alternatives Newsletter, have conducted some studies of the benefits of White and green tea extract on brain cells. They have successfully shown in animal studies that green tea extract fed to mice with induced Alzheimer's and Parkinson's protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells. Alzheimer's disease (dementia), may also soon be treated and prevented with white tea. Like the findings reported in the Alternatives Newsletter, a Sept, 2005, says white tea may in fact protect the brain against Alzheimer's disease. The article cites an earlier report that found green tea prevented Alzheimer's-like damage in the brains of mice that had been genetically programmed to develop the Alzheimer's disease process.
- Boosts metabolism and accelerates weight loss: The proposed mechanism for white tea's calorie-burning properties is based on the ability of EGCG to increase thermogenesis, or heat production, by influencing enzymes in the metabolic process. It means that EGCG seems to increase the amount of calories burned throughout the day for all activities, from digesting food to climbing stairs to typing. Other food components, like caffeine or capsaicin (in hot peppers) can boost calorie burning, but EGCG has a stronger effect, boosts around a 7% our metabolism.
- More: One of its ingredient Catechine helps destroy bacteria which causes food poisoning in the stomach, very beneficial for oral hygiene, works well in improving the functioning of the immune system, helps you in knowing when your stomach is full so there is no need to overeat, increases you stamina and increases the energy, benefits your health by removing free radicals, works miracles for diabetes and blood pressure problems, cures many skin related problems... etc etc
