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Green tea has been a staple for centuries in Asia, long touted for its health benefits. Today, it is fast becoming popular in Europe and the Americas and is increasingly valued as a possible cancer preventive.
The cancer-fighting properties of green tea are thought to come from compounds called polyphenols, or catechins, which are chemicals that naturally occur in plants. The catechin known as EGCG, or epigallocatechin gallate, is believed to be the most active component in green tea and is a close cousin to substances found in grapes and red wine, which have been shown to help prevent cancer.
The catechins found in green tea have potent antioxidant properties, said Dr. Sherry Chow, a researcher from the Arizona Cancer Center. This is important because antioxidants can protect the body from free radicals, compounds that can tamper with cell DNA and are believed to contribute to various health problems, including cancer and heart disease.
Green tea has the highest antioxidant properties among teas because it is prepared from unfermented leaves. The more the leaves are fermented, the lower the antioxidant content.
In Chow's research, funded by the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, she examined how the body uses the catechins in green tea and how they are distributed to organs. Her results show that the small intestine removes most of the active components in green tea before they can be distributed throughout the body. Changing this process could make green tea an even more effective cancer fighter, Chow said.
In the meantime, just how much green tea should people consume to benefit from its cancer-fighting properties? Although some studies suggest that three cups a day or more are beneficial, Chow said the answer to this question may be determined in future research.
"First, we have to understand how the cancer-fighting components in green tea behave and how the body absorbs the tea before we can determine a recommended dosage," Chow said.
For now, switching from a black to green tea may be a healthy first step. For more information on cancer prevention, log on to www.preventcancer.org. - NU |
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