Drink Up: The Science Behind Health ...

There are many claims about the type of tea is "healthy". Some say that green tea is the healthiest kind of tea, while others say that white tea is healthy, because it has more antioxidants, Oolong tea is healthy as it promotes weight loss, or Pu-erh tea is healthy, contains because it helps lower cholesterol.

For the hard science on tea and health, I interviewed Douglas Balentine, Director of Nutrition and Health at Unilever North America (the largest tea company in the world and manufacturer brands Lipton and PG Tips). He has many years of experience in the research of many health benefits of tea and its experiences over tea and health at the Q & A below.

Lindsey: There are many claims that is in the way of tea "healthy". Why the idea of a kind of tea is "healthy" is not the way to think constructively about tea?

Doug: The real tea, that is. Black, green, oolong and white (but not "herbal") teas are made from leaves of Camellia sinensis. Though it [drunk factor in the feeling of Tea] differences in the amounts and types of flavonoids and amounts of caffeine, theanine and magnesium between different types of tea in general, all teas contain significant amounts of phytochemicals of tea. Population studies and intervention studies have shown somewhat similar black maintaining the health and wellness benefits of green tea.

Lindsey: Can you say more about flavonoids?

Doug: Flavonoids are compounds in tea, wine, cocoa, fruits and vegetables found food. Help tea flavonoids, the normal function of blood vessels (endothelial function). All teas from the camellia sinensis, such as white (not herbal) tea black, green, oolong and naturally contain between 100 and 300 mg of flavonoids per serving.

Lindsey: What are the health benefits are shared by all true teas?

Doug:

• Regular tea consumption contribute to proper hydration, improves attention and concentration, helps the good mood during the day to keep.
• Of course tea contains zero calories, therefore, when drinks are used in place of higher calorie, it can help control calorie intake is essential for weight control. In the Asian population, the consumption of green tea has been shown to reduce the amount of fat in the middle (as "visceral fat") is to be. This has not been confirmed in Western populations, but the results suggest that consumption of green tea can help to maintain a healthy body composition.
• Three cups of tea a day may help cardiovascular health. Population studies have shown that regular consumption of black tea with a lower risk for heart disease and reduced risk of stroke.
• Recent clinical studies have shown that drinking two to three cups of black tea a day can help maintain a healthy blood pressure and promote normal function of blood vessels.

Lindsey: In general, what kinds of services, the allocation of white tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea and pu-erh performed?

Doug: green and black tea consumption has associated with the maintenance of cardiovascular health and function of healthy blood vessels. Few studies on oolong, white or Pu-erh tea, so that the benefits of these teas are known.

Lindsey: Are there any new research (from March 2012) on tea and health, which is particularly convincing or revolutionary?

Doug: We have just announced the results of a recent study by Unilever (Lipton's parent company) support, carried out at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the National Research Council of Australia Health and Medicine. The study found that subjects who drank three cups of black tea for six months stay all day all day blood pressure healthy.

In the study, 95 Australians, are 35 to 75 years old, or eat or drink black tea tax three times a day for six months. After both three and six months, the tea drinkers systolic and diastolic blood pressure was lower than the placebo drink tea 2-3 mm Hg.

Due to the fact that high blood pressure can significantly affect the risk of cardiovascular disease in the population, the leading cause of death in the United States, this study suggests drinking black tea may help maintain cardiovascular health helps control blood pressure.