Green tea has long been associated with a number of health benefits such as cancer and stress prevention, but a recent study has found that it can enhance a person’s memory.

Green tea rose to stardom and has been well-known all over the world since it was subjected to the glaring lights of the spotlight with the numerous studies conducted regarding its health benefits.  A study conducted by researchers from Japan revealed that drinking 5 cups of green tea in a day could significantly reduce one’s risk of developing different types of cancer by 50 percent.  Furthermore, consuming 5 cups of this beverage each day has also been associated with a reduction in the levels of stress according to the results of yet another study which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  While this may sound like too much, it is actually not – especially when you start drinking green tea instead of what you normally drink such as water after a run or coffee in the morning.

What Makes Green Tea Special?

The power behind green tea’s knockout punch is its very potent antioxidant content. The polyphenols that it contains are commonly referred to as catechins and these help combat and neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals.  Free radicals are by-products of oxidative processes and these are said to be the cause of different forms of health conditions such as cancer, premature aging and heart disease. Because of this, the catechin content of green tea is also able to boost a person’s immune system thereby promoting overall health. Aside from polyphenols, it also contains alkaloids and L-theanine which further contributes to green tea’s health benefits.

Green Tea for Mental Alertness

A study conducted in Korea revealed that taking green tea extract supplements can actually enhance a person’s memory and promote mental alertness. The results of the study which was published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods showed that green tea extract coupled with L-theanine was linked to improvement in general memory, as well as in a person’s immediate and delayed recall ability. Funding for the said study was provided by LG Household & Health Care, Ltd., a Korean company which also manufactured the ingredient which was utilized in the study.

The study involved ninety-one participants who were already diagnosed with mild level cognitive impairment, which is an important risk factor in the development of Alzheimer’s Disease.  The 91 participants were assigned randomly to receive either a placebo supplement made of lactose plus maltodextrin or 1,680 milligrams of a combination of L-theanine and green tea extract. The supplements were given for a period of 16 weeks.  After the said period, different tests were administered to the participants in order to assess attention levels and memory.  The results of the tests revealed that the group of participants who received the green tea extract plus L-theanine supplement showed signs of improved memory.  Electroencephalogram tests (EEG) also revealed improvements in mental alertness indicators in particular areas of the brain.

The researchers wrote that the use of LGNC-07, which is actually a combination of L-theanine and green tea extract, as a nutraceutical candidate used to enhance cognitive performance should be taken into account. However, the researchers believe that there is a need to conduct more studies to further investigate the ability of LGNC-07 to improve a person’s cognitive functions in order to establish its potential health benefit.

More Reasons to go for Green Tea

Much has been said about green tea – and for good reason.  It has been the subject of worldwide studies and there are facts to support its health claims.  There are a lot of life-threatening diseases that can be prevented simply by consuming sufficient amounts of green tea.  Aside from taking green tea in beverage form, you can also take it in the form of supplements.

Aside from green tea’s capability to help prevent cancer and promote mental alertness, there are other conditions that can greatly benefit from green tea consumption:

Hypercholesterolemia. This is a condition which is characterized by high levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Excessive LDL levels are dangerous since the fatty plaques can deposit in the walls of blood vessels.  There will be a resultant narrowing of the blood vessels and blood flow will become turbulent in the specific area. Because of this, the fatty plaques may dislodge and may travel through the bloodstream.  The clot, now called an embolus, can lodge in small arteries such as in the brain causing a stroke, or in the lungs causing pulmonary embolism. Both conditions are life-threatening and necessary steps should be taken to ensure prevention.

Studies have shown that green tea can help raise the levels of good cholesterol and reduce bad cholesterol levels in the body. A study conducted on men revealed that those who drink green tea have lower LDL levels compared to those who do not. Furthermore, a study made in animals revealed that the polyphenols in green tea blocks cholesterol absorption in the intestines and aids in its secretion.

Diabetes. The condition is associated with complications that can significantly lead to a reduction in a person’s quality of life.  Common complications include retinopathy, nephropathy, cataracts, and diabetic foot which can lead to amputation. The good news is that green tea has been found to promote healthy blood sugar levels by properly regulating and lowering high sugar levels in the blood.

Obesity. Being obese is linked to the development of conditions such as stroke, heart attack and arthritis – and these are only some of those that are brought about by obesity. Because of its dangers, a lot of people are mightily trying to win the battle of the bulge. The fight to conquer and overcome obesity is still going on and some have resorted to taking diet pills.  However, the danger lies in the safety of the product that you are using.  Weight loss products may possess harmful adverse effects that can actually do harm than good, and this is why sticking to natural alternatives is the best decision you’ll ever make.

Green tea has been known to help promote weight loss in overweight and obese people because of its ability to burn fats due to its catechin content.  Several studies have revealed that the intake of green tea can help enhance a person’s metabolic rate.

Sources
nccam.nih.gov
livestrong.com
nutraingredients.com

A recent addition to the growing number of scientific evidence supporting green tea shows that, aside from its well-known benefits, it also reduces levels of DNA damage.

Widely-believed to have originated from China, green tea has remained as one of the undisputable tea favourites. In the past, a notable pervasive belief regarding the well-loved beverage was that its health benefits are practically felt by those who drink it.  However, these “benefits” were hardly substantiated by scientific evidence.

Over the years, green tea has enjoyed the popular reputation of being a folklore medicine — until it increasingly gained the attention and curiosity of scientists and researchers. Recent findings finally provide a scientific backbone behind its wide range of favourable effects on health maintenance and restoration. With its proven position as a credible and effective natural treatment method, the delicious treat, especially when taken along with other natural health-protective foods and supplementation, redefines “delicious beverage” in a healthy manner.

Recent Human and In Vitro Study: Green Tea Protects from DNA Damage

The new study conducted by a team of experts from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University shows that by drinking green tea daily within a month, human DNA has higher chances of getting damage protection. Results show that the beverage consumption entailed reduction of DNA damage levels by a significant 20%. According to the researchers, the protective capacity and activity points to the green tea’s high antioxidant components and compounds.

Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the significant results of its genoprotective effects further support the notion that green tea is a “functional food”; rather than being a mere, commonplace, and delicious beverage. Both human supplementation trial and in vitro study confirmed the results.

The study is a significant addition to the body of supporting scientific evidence towards the potential and actual benefits provided by green tea contents, notably by its polyphenol components. The major health benefits proven and discovered through scientific research include Alzheimer’s disease prevention, reduction of cancer risks, and supplementary aid to weight management for more optimal results.

Essential Risk-reducing Contents of Green Tea

In order to have a better grasp of how strongly potent green tea is when it comes to risk-reduction, prevention, and health restoration; it is wise to have a more detailed look at its beneficial contents.

Flavonoids, Polyphenols, and Antioxidants

Possessing antioxidant roles, Flavonoids are highly concentrated in green tea. The high presence level renders the beverage capable of seizing and decapitating one of the leading potential causes of cell damage, and severe disease development:  free radicals or unstable molecules. Antioxidants found in green tea are higher than those in black tea due to the added processes that black tea requires. As such, it is unsurprising to know that instant and highly-processed iced teas already contain insignificant amounts of antioxidants.

Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, accounts for more than half of the content of catechins – an antioxidant which is 20 times more powerful and potent than vitamin C. The EGCG is widely believed to be one of the tea’s vital contents that aid in anti-cancer and antioxidant activities. It inhibits the growth of cancer cells, while it simultaneously destroys currently existing cancer cells; and healthy cells are left undamaged. Reportedly, this antioxidant can also prevent abnormal blood clot-formation —  an activity linked to one of the potent causes of stroke and heart attacks, called thrombosis.

A More Detailed Look on the Health Benefits of Green Tea

1. In Relation to DNA Damage

The study has shown the capacity of green tea in the reduction of DNA damage. It is important, then, to at least briefly know why this activity benefits human health.

DNA damage is inclined to cause immunosuppression, a high risk factor for certain types of cancer such as skin cancer. Based on a certain study on green tea polyphenols and skin cancer, the polyphenols reportedly are capable of blocking immunosuppression caused by exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation. The said study was applied to mice, and findings further show that polyphenol consumption has a long term protective effect, even after the mice have stopped polyphenol intake.

Furthermore, DNA damage and modifications can cause cellular dysfunction, and thus contribute to the complications of diabetes, such as diabetic nephropathy.

2. In Relation to Cancer

Polyphenols found in green tea are highly capable of stimulating apoptosis, a process that renders cancerous cells to commit suicide. Furthermore, it prohibits the progression of cell cycling, or cell division and replication, in abnormal or cancerous cells while sparing normal, healthy cells from damage. As discussed earlier, the anti-cancer and anti-carcinogen activity is significantly linked to the EGCG. However, it must be clarified that the remarkable antioxidant capabilities of green tea contents should be partnered with other potent sources of antioxidants. Employing antioxidant-source varieties and supplementation will heighten and optimize effects.

A study conducted by I-Hsin Lin of Chung Shan Medical University shows that polyphenols are capable of inhibiting tumorigenesis, a term that refers to tumour production. With lung cancer as Taiwan’s leading cause of all types of cancer-related deaths, and with the difficult struggle of quitting the smoking habit, the study provides benefits to smokers, in the sense that smoking-induced carcinogenesis can be regulated by consuming healthy amounts of green tea.

3. In Relation to Alzheimer’s and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases

Brain cell damage appears to develop through several detrimental factors, such as excessive inflammation and increased iron accumulation levels. These cause and contribute to increasing production of free radicals, which in turn exhaust and deplete antioxidant supplies in the brain.

Fortunately, research shows that catechins found in green tea not only serve as powerful antioxidants since these also cause and trigger various cell mechanisms for neuroprotection including activation of survival genes, modulation of mitochondrial function, and iron chelation.

EGCG has been proven capable of acting as an iron chelator, which stops iron from aiding the production of free radicals. It also boosts and stimulates quality operations of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase — two antioxidant enzymes that further help in damage control caused by detrimental free radical activities effects.

4. In Relation to Weight Management

Green tea catechins also help weight loss success and efficiency. A conducted study published in the Journal of Nutrition reveals that green tea consumption enhances circulation of Free Fatty Acids (FFA), maintain triglyceride levels, and helps promote the loss of abdominal fat due to exercising.

The various and diverse health benefits of green tea show its multi-faceted role as a credible and effective natural treatment method. Indeed, green tea is no longer loved by health-conscious people for its light and luscious taste: It provides more depth to enjoyable beverage-drinking by adding “healthy” to it.

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Polyphenols or phytochemicals found in green tea can help fight off bad cholesterol and harmful sugar-derived substances through strong antioxidant activity in the body.

In a recent scientific research published in the journal Food Chemistry in Taiwan, it was found that the compound EGCG or epigallocatechin 3 gallate can help reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol and also prevents glycatin of blood sugar. Glycation is a process whereby sugar molecules are able to bind with other types of molecules such as protein.  Glycation is characteristic of conditions such as type 2 diabetes or adult onset diabetes.

To mimic actual conditions in the human body, the in-vitro study simulated in-vivo conditions by using human blood serum.

According to the researchers Chi-Hao Wu, Chi-Tai Yey and Gow-Chin Yen, the resistance of bad cholesterol to anti-oxidant activity was directly countered by the introduction of polyphenols found in green tea.  EGCG was also able to inhibit glycation in the same in-vitro studies.

Based on this research, the researchers stated that modest health benefits related to heart health and diabetes can be acquired through regular drinking of green tea.

Benefits of drinking green tea

And there are other reasons to love green tea:

1. Due to its antioxidant properties, green tea has been viewed in the world of alternative medicine and naturopathy as a natural cancer preventive both in men and women.

2. Reducing oxidative stress can also help reduce pain, which is why drinking green tea can also help people with chronic conditions such as arthritis and rheumatism.

3. There has been some evidence that green tea can help reduce the incidence of heart diseases by lowering bad cholesterol.

4. Increasing the amount of antioxidants in the body can boost the immune function, which effectively reduces “sick days” and helps the body bounce back from illnesses such as the common flu or the common cold.

5. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that people who took green tea with beverages along with modest amounts of caffeine tend to burn more calories than those who don’t drink such beverages.

6. Green tea has antibacterial activity, which may help fight off cavities and tooth decay.

7. A study in Japan showed that people who regularly drank tea were at less risk for cancer and heart problems.

8. Green tea is a natural healing aid for people with multiple sclerosis.

9. Green tea has also been noted as a potential ally against Parkinson’s disease.  Antioxidants help prevent the brain from suffering from too much oxidative stress.

10. Green tea can help regulate the natural fluid balance of the body.

11. This beverage can also help reduce the incidence of allergies because it is capable of blocking allergy receptors, like a natural anti-allergy medication.

12. Green tea can help people lose weight by stimulating the body’s metabolism.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
chinesefood.about.com
healthmad.com
greenteasecrets.com
clinical.diabetesjournals.org

A chemical compound called epigallocatechin gallate showed much promise by killing cancerous cells during a phase 2 clinical study.

According to a study performed by researchers from the Mayo Clinic, the extract of the world-popular green tea has been effective in regulating the growth and proliferation of cancer cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).  The study was classified as a phase two human clinical trial, and the results were very promising indeed.

Epigallocatechin gallate vs. cancer cells

The compound epigallocatechin gallate was shown to have the ability to kill cancer cells in patients with CLL.  The compound prevented the cancer cells from surviving, thereby effectively reducing the total cancer cell count. The first phase of the human clinical trial of epigallocatechin gallate also showed similar, positive results.

What does this all mean?  According to one of the Mayo researchers, Dr. Tait Shanafelt, the two clinical trials show that epigallocatechin gallate showed some promise in stabilizing or normalizing the condition of patients with CLL.  While the compound is not classified as a definitive cure for the condition, it shows promise in slowing down the progress of the medical condition.

Instead of a cure, Mayo clinic researchers state that the compound should be viewed as a cancer preventive rather than cancer cure. And there was a catch: the patients that were subjected to the nutraceutical treatment were patients who had early signs of CLL (not advanced stage CLL).

The study involved thirty-six respondents and resulted in a fifty percent reduction of leukemia cell count at the end of the human clinical trial.  Including the patients from the first clinical trial, the total number of CLL patients involved in the study is forty-two.  A third clinical trial is needed before the Mayo Clinic researchers can make a definitive recommendation regarding the use of epigallocatechin gallate for CLL sufferers.

Other benefits of green tea

Tea is the second most drunk beverage in the world (right next to water). It contains natural antioxidants and caffeine (50% less than regular coffee).  And did I mention that it’s good for you for a lot of reasons?  It’s more than just a cancer preventive.  Here are some more health benefits of drinking green tea:

1. According to a study published by the American Medical Association, 40,000 respondents (from Japan; all of them drank up three cups of green tea per day) showed no evidence of cardiovascular anomalies and coronary heart problems since the study started back in the year 1994.  Not one individual from the 40,000 strong group developed any cancer, too!

2. Drinking green tea reduces the risk of dying from heart disease by twenty six percent (for males).  For women, drinking three to five cups of the precious elixir reduced the risk of dying from heart attacks and other cardiac problems by a staggering thirty-one percent.

3. Having chronic problems with sleep apnea (disturbances during sleep) and poor sleep quality, generally?   Reach for green tea.  US studies found out that chemical compounds in green tea can help prevent cognitive troubles resulting from poor sleep.

4. If you have trouble memorizing for school, don’t drink soda.  Instead, make yourself a nice, warm green tea brew.  There is no reason not to enjoy this beverage as it now comes in many natural flavors, like blueberry, cinnamon, etc.

All you have to do is choose your favorite flavor and use a French press to make an instant cup of tea.  Or you can just buy tea bags and allow the tea to infuse itself into the water for a few minutes.  I recommend this and that’s how I make my green tea.  The longer you keep the teabag in the hot water, the stronger the tea.

You can also add a bit of cinnamon to make the tea more interesting.  Since tea has caffeine, it can also help keep you more alert and awake when working or studying.   Green tea also has theanine, which has been shown to have beneficial effects in that region of the human brain that is responsible for alertness.

5. Suffering from poor immunity against common illnesses like the flu and the common cold?  Green tea is rich in chemical compounds called polyphenols, which can help boost your immune system.  Polyphenols can also help slow down aging by reducing the oxidative stress that the body experiences from free radicals.  Polyphenols are capable of disabling free radicals in the body.

6. Substituting polyphenol-rich beverages like green tea for soda and the like can also reverse the spike in body weight.  Because green tea doesn’t have much sugar, it does not contribute much to your weight (apart from its water content).  If you are having trouble with ‘water weight’, then all you have to do is to sip on the green tea during the day instead of downing a whole cup in one go.  But don’t forget: being well-hydrated is more important.  Also, water helps the body lose weight by helping in better digestion and also by helping the body burn calories more efficiently.

7. According to researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the antioxidants present in green tea can also penetrate the tissues in the eyes and do a world of good there.  Increased antioxidant activity in any body tissue has always been linked to decreased inflammation and healthier tissues and cells.

8. All kinds of tea come from the same camella plant – and tea always has more than ten times the amount of antioxidant chemicals than regular vegetables and fruits.  So drink up!  Green tea can also help prevent dangerous blood clots from forming in veins and arteries (which can lead to heart attack and stroke).  You also reduce the risk for atherosclerosis when you drink plenty of tea, say Dr. John Weisburger, the US’s pro-tea champion and veteran researcher (who is also, incidentally, already eighty two years old!)

Cancer prevention

In the spirit of global cancer prevention, here are some easy steps that you can prevent different types of cancer.

Prostate Cancer

• In a European study, it was discovered that regular intake of legumes and other vegetables lowered the risk of prostate cancer over the long term.
• Nutrients like vitamin D, isoflavanoids and selenium can help reduce prostate cancer by stopping the chemical processes that can lead to the formation of cancer cells.

Skin Cancer

• Increase your intake of antioxidants prior to sun exposure or take an umbrella with you when going out into the direct heat of the sun for a long period of time!
• Beta-carotene has been linked to reduced risk of developing cancerous skin cells.

Lung Cancer

• Long term tobacco smoke has been linked to lung cancer – so stop the habit before it leads to something much, much worse than just stained teeth.
• Regular exercise produces a protective effect on the body – including the respiratory system. Get enough exercise to strengthen your breathing apparatus.

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
blogs.webmd.com
blogs.webmd.com
webmd.com
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webmd.com

Stress reduction can now be added to the many benefits of green tea consumption.

If you’re at all fascinated by numbers and whether or not they’re lucky or unlucky, the number five is right up there with the number seven in signaling prosperity.  Let me explain what I mean…

Earlier this year, I wrote about a study out of Japan that found that drinking five cups of green tea per day reduced the risk of getting various forms of cancer by 50 percent.

Two months later, and out comes another green tea study showing improved health with five cups per day.  What kind of better health?  Reduced stress levels.

Stress is sort of like death and taxes:  there’s no avoiding it.  Whether it’s something as simple as a worrying over a test, or something more serious like worrying about a loved one serving in the military, stress complicates life and complicates our health.  It’s so serious, in fact, that it can significantly increases the risk for chronic heart disease when not kept in check.  That’s where green tea comes in.

Now, the notion that green tea can relieve stress symptoms is nothing new.  Nor is the notion that green tea improves health overall, as you’ll discover by writing “green tea” in the search bar of this Web site or any other search engine for that matter.  But these reports have mainly been anecdotal; there hasn’t been any large scale studies demonstrating its stress-relieving capability.

That is, until now, because according to findings from Tohoko University Graduate School researchers, there’s a “significant” relationship between stress levels and how much green tea people drink.  Their findings aren’t based on some small scale study of 10 or 20 people, either.  Try over 42,000, with six to seven percent of those 42,000 complaining of chronic psychological stress symptoms.  Those stress symptoms were relieved, however, among those assigned to drink at least five cups of green tea per day.

The study’s complete findings are published in the October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

What makes green tea so stress-relieving?  The researchers aren’t sure, but past research points to the polyphenol EGCG.  EGCG is a very potent polyphenol that’s been associated with a variety of health benefits, like relieving fatigue and decreasing cancer risk.

Now, drinking five cups of green tea may sound like a lot, but it’s really not, especially if you start drinking it in place of things.  For instance, instead of a cup of coffee in the morning, try drinking a cup of green tea with two tea bags instead of one (the extra bag will supply an extra 20 mg of caffeine).  Instead of a water after a workout, try a chilled down green tea beverage instead.  The sodium and potassium will supply the electrolytes that are lost during rigorous workout sessions.

As far as what’s the best green tea to choose from, always opt for organically brewed tea, paying special attention to its “Sell By” date.  For the sake of taste – not to mention nutrition – you don’t want anything that’s been sitting on the shelf unopened for more than six months.  The further the “Sell By” date is from the date in which you’re purchasing, the better.  Once opened, the shelf-life reduces even further.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
beveragedaily.com

Study shows that green tea may be help prevent bone loss.

I’m no Wall Street tycoon or stockbroker, but if you have any money in the stock market, you might want to diversify your portfolio by investing in green tea.

Every week there seems to be a new study out about its array of health benefits, whether its improving brain power, battling Parkinson’s disease, healing an ailing heart (not a broken heart, mind you, but a heart burdened by poor circulation due to high cholesterol levels), or easing the painful side effects of arthritis.

And a new study from the University of Hong Kong adds to green tea’s catalog of curative powers, as green tea may help prevent bone loss.

Osteoporosis is one of the more common health problems in the world today.  To give you an idea of just how common, it’s second only to heart disease in overall healthcare costs for the estimated 200 million people affected by it.

Researchers discovered its bone-building benefits when they fed lab rats EGC – not to be confused with EGCG – a tea compound and polyphenol that runneth over in green tea (EGC is in other teas as well, like black tea, but in small amounts compared to green tea).  Approximately 30 to 40 percent of green tea is made up of EGC, short for epigallocatechin.

Their analysis indicated that not only did the rats’ bones form more osteoblasts, but fewer osteoclasts formed.  Similar to the variation between stalagmites and stalactites – where one letter makes all the difference – osteoblasts build up bones, while osteoclasts bore away at bones, rendering them more brittle and frail .

The study, published in the online addition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, is the first of its kind to link green tea consumption to bone building.  And as per usual, more studies on green tea and bone building are scheduled.

As aforementioned, osteoporosis is a huge problem for millions of people, aging women, especially.  And while osteoporosis is a condition almost exclusive to men and women 50 years of age and over (one in three 50 y/o women and one in five 50 y/o men will experience a fracture due to osteoporosis in their lifetime, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation), young people can and should take action now to prevent future fractures.

Besides “boning” up on green tea, other nutritional prevention measures include keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum (excessive drinking leads to bone loss), supplementing with quality dairy calcium sources (like organic yogurt and raw milk) and quality vegetable sources.  Some of the best sources for calcium include kale, cabbage, watercress, and broccoli.

In addition to vegetables, studies have shown that diets high in protein are associated with a low risk for osteoporosis development.

Finally, exercise is a huge factor in preventing bone loss.  And it doesn’t necessarily have to be weight training or walking.  A 1995 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who practice tai chi have nearly 50 percent fewer falls than those who don’t and also have greater bone density.  Who knew?

Sources:
iofbonehealth.org
nutraingredients.com

Black currant berries are a very rich source of Anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins – the phytochemical compound found in brightly colored vegetables – are so health-promoting, so ubiquitous in their disease prevention, there ought to be an anthocyanin anthology.

As documented here, anthocyanins help prevent cancer cell growth.  And as documented here, the anthocyanins in red cabbage helps prevent Alzheimer’s and metabolic syndrome.

The latest addition to the anthocyanin anthology?  They may improve one’s cholesterol profile.

Anyone at least mildly versed in health matters knows there are two types of cholesterol:  HDL, the good kind, and LDL, the bad kind.  So the ideal way to improve that profile is to increase the good cholesterol while lowering the bad cholesterol, right?
Well, anthocyanins appear able to pull off that double-duty trick…and then some.

According to a study of 120 people (not rats, as is so often the case), participants supplementing with high amounts of anthocyanin reduced their LDL cholesterol by nearly 14 percent (13.6 percent) and increased their HDL profile by 14 percent (13.7 percent).  This was based on a 12-week study of 40 to 65-year-old men and women, all of whom had dyslipidemia.  Dyslipidemia is a blood disorder characterized by high levels of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, or both.

Approximately half of the participants received a daily supplement containing 320 milligrams of anthocyanins for about three months.  The other half received a placebo.  By the end of the study, the anthocyanin contingent saw serious improvements in their cholesterol count (again, about a 14 percent uptick in HDL), while the placebo group barely scratched the surface in improvement (a mere 3 percent increased HDL count).  And the LDL lowering fared even worse – just a 0.6 percent drop (compared to the anthrocyanin group, which dropped 13.6 percent).

The study was randomized and double-blind, which lends credibility to the test because it means that neither the test subjects nor the researchers themselves knew whether the supplement contained anthocyanins or were water pills.

The researchers – who hail from Sun Yat-Sen University in Kaohsiung, China – believe that anthocyanins help improve cholesterol profiles because of an LDL cholesterol-clearing protein they contain called CETP. CETP replaces triglycerides with cholesterol esters, the chemical compound make-up of HDL.

The study is published in the online version of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, soon to be published in its print version.

I’m all for supplementation, as most of you know, but there’s nothing better than getting anthocyanins from foods themselves.  And because anthocyanins are what give fruits and vegetables their color, anyone who eats their fruits and veggies regularly is getting a healthy dose of anthocyanins already.

But for those looking for the highest yield, look no further than the bodacious berry.  Berries are chock full of them, even fruits that resemble berries but aren’t really berries, like grapes and cherries.  The supreme leader of the berry barrel in anthocyanins is the black currant, which can carry up to 400 mg for every 100 grams.

The blackberry, blueberry, chokeberry and cranberry round out the top five berries.

But that’s among berries.  If you’re looking for the head honcho, the grand poo-bah in anthocyanin count, that title goes to the underappreciated eggplant.  There’s a whopping 750 milligrams of anthocyanins in 100 grams of eggplant.

Source:
nutraingredients.com
food-info.net

As many as five cups of green tea or more per day is believed to be the best defense from cancer.

If you’re looking to cut back on your five cups of coffee a day but are at a loss for what to replace your coffee-fill with, green tea is the perfect substitution solution.

Moderation in all things may typically be the best route to all-around health, but when it comes to green tea consumption, moderation does not equal disease prevention.  In fact, as many as five cups of green tea or more – clearly not a moderate amount – is believed to be the best defense from cancer.

The latest study to tout the benefits of green tea hails from the Tohoku School of Medicine based in Japan, a country whose population is awash in green tea consumption (the most commonly consumed beverage in a country of 127 million).

Charting how green tea affected cancer diagnoses of the nearly 42,000 men and women involved required a food frequency questionnaire, which was administered to the participants at the start of the nine-year study.  The study’s researchers followed up with the participants throughout, charting both their health and their diets to see if what, if anything, changed.

In that nine-year period, things did change for about 320 of the participants.  One hundred and ninety three of the men and women involved were stricken with blood cancer, and another 119 were stricken with a cancer of the lymph nodes.

When researchers looked at what the participants ate and drank over the near decade-long study, they found some commonalities in the drinking decisions of cancer-stricken participants and those unaffected.

Not so much what they drank, though, but rather how much.

Virtually all of the participants drank at least one cup of green tea per day, but the people who drank five cups or more were 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with blood cancer and about 50 percent less likely to be diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes.

The Japanese study – published in the American Journal of Epidemiology – does not go so far as to say there’s a causal relationship between green tea consumption and cancer diagnosis (i.e. that drinking more directly impacts the risk of being diagnosed with cancer), but it might as well have, for this study is the latest one to be added to the scores of studies gone by that link cancer prevention with green tea consumption.  Past studies have linked green tea consumption to ovarian cancer prevention, prostate cancer prevention, bladder cancer prevention, breast cancer prevention, even lung cancer prevention (the deadliest form of cancer).

The study did not make any conclusions as to what component of green tea has anti-cancer properties, but past studies indicate its likely green tea’s high polyphenol content.  Besides green tea leaves, polyphenols are found in the skins of various fruits and vegetables and are extolled for their disease-fighting prowess, Alzheimer’s and heart disease among them.

There are many green teas from which to choose, some every bit as good as others.  Always opt for organically brewed tea, paying special attention to its “Sell By” date.  For the sake of taste – not to mention nutrition – you don’t want anything that’s been sitting on the shelf unopened for more than six months.  The further the “Sell By” date is from the date in which you’re purchasing, the better.  Once opened, the shelf-life reduces even further.

Sources:
whfoods.com
cia.gov
o-cha.com
nutraingredients.com

Green tea may slow the growth of prostate cancer.

This past Sunday was pretty eventful day on the calendar.  Not only was it the first day of summer, but it was also Father’s Day.  And in an effort to honor the most influential man in most of our lives, Major League Baseball and the boys of summer wore baby blue wristbands and ribbons to raise awareness for prostate cancer.  Prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer in its prevalence among men – with 240,000 new diagnoses expected this year alone.

As great and admirable as this was, MLB teams could have taken the honorific a step further by filling those Gatorade coolers in dugouts with some iced green tea, as a recent study suggests it may slow the progression of prostate cancer.

There are of course lots of changes that take place in the body after prostate cancer diagnosis.  One of them is found in the blood’s serum.  There are several types of serums, all of them with alphabet-soup names like hepatocyte and endothelial.  These serum levels – or what are often referred to as “biomarkers” in assessing the degree to which prostate cancer has infected someone – are high in people who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Researchers wanted to see how green tea might impact the aforementioned serum levels of approximately 26 men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer by having them consume green tea capsules for varying amounts of time over the study period (the median time of supplementation was 34.5 days).  The men ranged in age from 41 to 72 years old.

Results indicated that all the men showed reductions in these “biomarkers,” with some of the serum levels dropping as much as 30 percent!

The active ingredient in green tea believed to play a role in reducing these biomarkers are green tea’s polyphenols – specifically Polyphenon E.

More details of the study are published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research and it was conducted by professors and researchers from Louisiana State University’s Feist-Weiller Cancer Center.

What makes this study so significant is two-fold: 1) It gives further justification of why so many people are gaga for green tea (second only to coffee as the most popular drink in the world) and 2) Its another avenue people have in delaying a cancer that can spread very quickly when not detected early.

Anything that can help delay a virulent strain of cancer should be shouted from the rooftops, especially if it’s natural.  But green tea can do more than just delay its progression.  As the study’s lead researcher himself said, James A. Cardelli, “There is reasonably good evidence that many cancers are preventable [emphasis added], and our studies using plant-derived substances support the idea that plant compounds found in a healthy diet can play a role in preventing cancer development …”

As always, more studies need to be done, as the LSU researchers say this study wasn’t randomized, thus somewhat precluding the reliability of the findings.  But the results of this study are similar to one conducted by another research team, which was randomized, and that one was a year in length.  And this study contributes to the smorgasbord of studies and literature involving green tea, all of which show advances in health, vitality and disease avoidance when supplemented into one’s daily diet.

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
usatoday.com

These two successful studies were presented to the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in San Diego this year. Although reishi is generally hard to find because they grow in the damp mountain areas of the world that have little to no sunlight, just like green tea today these medicinal plants are being manufactured as extracts for nutritional value. ReishiMax is one of the products sold to the public today and scientists have been experimenting with this component only to find numerous active ingredients inside the mushroom once it has been cut open like this.

In the first study a group of mice were injected with the Sarcoma cells and then divided into groups. Some of the groups received high, low and medium dosages of ReishiMax and green tea where one group received none. This controlled group died 28 days after the Sarcoma injections and the others lives were prolonged another 12 days in comparison.

The second study, which was designed to look towards cancer prevention instead of treatment like the first study, groups of health mice were given dosages of ReishiMax and green tea in the same manner as stated above. After given this treatment for 14 days and one group receiving no treatment, the mice were then injected with the Sarcoma cells. On the 28th day the tumors were removed from under the mice’s skin and the scientists found that the tumor weight was 45% less in weight than the mice who received no ReishiMax and green tea treatment.

Each of these Chinese herbs have dozens of different healing capabilities that have been utilized for centuries, only today are we looking back towards natural resources for medical purposes. You can find reishi mushrooms and green tea anywhere herbal and natural supplements are sold. After first speaking with a naturopathic professional who can guide and help you create a supplementation routine, you too can reap the benefits of these two herbs and do what you can to prevent different forms of cancer in your future.

The simple benefit of immune system enhancing is enough to help your body combat the conditions and diseases that are around us on a daily basis. Each of these herbs can be taken safely and should always be taken as directed. Using nature to help keep us healthy is the best way to avoid prescription drugs in the future that can only cause more side effects and conditions when natural medicine like this can do no more harm, only good.