Tea and green tea in particular have many health benefits, including weight loss and weight control, cholesterol and cardiovascular health, and others but among these we also find protection from cancer.
In the last few year there has been several scientific studies that support the fact that Asian populations are better able to fight cancer than western populations, due to their large intake of green tea.
From Wikipedia EGCG Structure
The “star” of green tea is EGCG or Epigallocatechin gallate, also known as Epigallocatechin 3-gallate.
The words are a mouthful, but we are only talking about a molecule, catechin that is present in green tea and even more so in Oolong tea. It is this catechin that gives wu long tea its anti cancer properties. In a lab situation EGCG was able to slow down considerably the growth of cancer cell, and to block completely the cell production of blood vessels necessary to their growth.
If you drink green tea every day, you ingest sufficient amounts of EGCG to give your body additional cancer protection, notably against prostate cancer, stomach cancer, and breast cancer. It is therefore an effective way to use natural anti cancer molecules to protect yourself.
A recent Japanese study revealed that men who drink an average of 5 cups of green tea a day are 50% less likely to suffer from prostate cancer, than whose who do not.
In this study 50 000 subjects, men between the ages of 40 and 69, were followed for a period of over 10 years. During that span of time, 404 cases of prostate cancer were recorded among the subjects. It was put forth that catechin and antioxidants present in the tea were the beneficial elements of this study.
These results were also supported by another study done in the United States, by the University of Louisiana. The study followed 26 volunteers who had already been diagnosed with having prostate cancer. This men were given 1.3 g of catechin daily for a period of 36 days, prior to a planned prostate operation. This dose is equivalent to 12 cups of tea. The results after 36 days were that a significant reduction of PSA.
PSA means Prostate-specific antigen, it is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. A PSA test is used to measure the level of PSA in the blood.
It is clear that the number studied is low and a larger scale study is necessary, but combined with the Japanese study, it is a good indication of its validity, and that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, can also be aided by adding drinking green tea as a supplement.
Let’s not forget that prostate cancer is the most prominent form of cancer death in men.
Another study done by the Cancer Center in Florida showed that 50 years old women, who drank at least 3 cups of tea daily, had a breast cancer risk 37% lower than those who did not.
Yet another study if you can stand it, this is one done at Dartmouth Medical School, NH. 2 200 adults participated in this study, all affected with different types of skin cancer. This study like the other ones mentioned in this article showed that tea intake was a factor in reducing the risks of cancer as well as controlling the growth of cancer in affected patients.
Green tea contains four times more antioxidants and catechin than black tea, and Oolong tea, because of its production methods contains the most of all teas. But it is clear in study after study that all teas are beneficial.
Wu long tea does offer not only more benefits that other teas, but also a great smooth, fruity flavor, that many people appreciate. Because of its low fermentation the benefits are increased and the taste enhanced.
Production of Oolong tea is always done to maintain all its properties. It is never machine harvested, and the people who harvest it manually are very careful not to break the leaves. The drying process is all natural and done under careful conditions to prevent over oxidization.
If you have never tried Wu long tea, I would encourage you to try it, even if cancer is not a concern at this time in your life. Many on line stores sell it at affordable prices and you might discover a drink you will never forget nor regret trying.
Additional health benefits of Oolong tea, have affected parkinson, blood circulation, and diabetes.
