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

Drinking coffee may reduce a person's chances of developing oral cancer and even brain tumors.

According to a study published in the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, it was found that people who drank three to four cups of coffee per day reduced their risk of neck & head cancer by as much as thirty-nine percent.

According to Dr. Mia Hashibe, a researcher from the University of Utah, the findings of the new study is significant because coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world.

The survival percentage for oral cancer and other associated cancers is low, so the findings provide hope for both men and women.  Unfortunately, the study did not make use of data from people who drank decaffeinated coffee.  In addition to oral cancer and neck cancer, another study (this time, from London)  discovered that coffee also reduced the risk of people developing tumors in the brain.

Other studies agree on the benefits of coffee

Studies around the world seem to acquiesce with the recent findings in the United States; it also appears that coffee may be more than just a cancer preventive:

1. A recent study performed in Sweden states that women who drank four to five cups of Scandinavian coffee (which requires boiling) reduced their risk of developing breast cancer over the long term.

It appears that boiled coffee provides more health benefits because it can contain up to eighty different fatty acids, which have been shown to have cancer-preventing effects when taken by the human body.  The benefits of boiled Scandinavian coffee was noted for women between the ages of 49 and 55.

2. According to researchers who published a study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, regular coffee intake may ward off adult-onset diabetes or type 2 diabetes.  In animal tests, it was shown that coffee increased the sensitivity of the animals to insulin.  Coffee was also effective in combating the sudden rise of blood glucose levels according to the researchers.

3. Past US studies show that coffee may be helpful in reducing LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.  Coffee also contains polyphenols, which are natural antioxidants that protect the body from free radical damage.  Polyphenols are also present in abundant quantities in green tea.

4. Based on a Harvard Medical School study on aggressive/advanced prostate cancer and coffee-drinking, it was found that males who regularly drank coffee were sixty percent less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer, compared to males who did not drink coffee at all.

5. A Netherlands study produced the following findings for coffee consumption: 2 to 4 cups of coffee a day reduced the incidence of heart problems by twenty percent.  Coffee intake also slightly reduced the chances of a person dying from the most common causes (cancer, heart problems, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, etc.)

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com

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
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com

Polyphenols, potent antioxidants found in shitake mushrooms, great tea and grape seed, may be the most effective natural immune booster the modern world has been looking for.

In a new study spearheaded by German scientists, it was found that a special juice mix composed of shitake mushrooms, green tea, grape seed and the extract from grape seeds may help reduce the occurrence of one of science’s most baffling problems: the common cold.

Because the common cold can be caused by literally hundreds of different pathogens, no single vaccination can be effective against it.  This is where the human immune system steps in: the stronger the immune system, the less likely for a person to suffer from the common cold.

Polyphenols vs. the common cold

The special juice mix had a high dose of natural polyphenols, one of nature’s most potent antioxidants.  According to researchers from Rudolf Wild GmbH, the proponent of the study, the respondents of their study are termed as being “immune impaired” because the test subjects have imbalanced diets, are overweight, etc.

Some respondents have also been exposed to physical stress. The researchers’ choice of respondents is important: because the subjects of the study are immune impaired, it is easier to measure their response to nutritional benefits.

Because nearly everyone, at least at one point in their lives, have been immune-impaired, the researchers stated that the results of their study can be accurately extrapolated for the rest of the population. This means that whatever benefits emerge from the study is potentially accessible to anyone who wishes to partake of the benefits of polyphenols.

The study reported a clear improvement in the test subjects who had been suffering from a general feeling of malaise, headaches, pain in the joints, nausea, hoarseness, coughing fits, etc.  The results were compared to a placebo group that showed little or no improvement throughout the testing period.

The testing ran for ten full days, with each respondent (in the test group) being given two doses of the polyphenol-rich juice mix.  All the respondents had a cold that started 24 hours or less before the 10-day study began.

Polyphenols as immune boosting compounds

The big question after the study was of course, “how did that happen?”  According to the researchers, the immune-boosting power of the polyphenol-rich juice mix may be due to the presence of the following compound, two of which have been associated with strengthening the body’s immune cells (T-cells):

• Catechines
• L-theanine
• 3-O glucoside
• Vitamin C (61.4 mg for every 500 milliliters of the juice mix)

The 3-O glucoside compound, found in grape seed, may also inhibit the formation of COX-1 enzyme and COX-2 enzyme. These two enzymes, known collectively as cyclooxygenase, have been linked with the increased incidence of tissue inflammation, ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer.

The critical role of antioxidants

Polyphenols have been long in the list of nature’s most efficient antioxidants.  Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical compounds that protect the body’s cells from premature aging and destruction by removing free radicals.  Free radicals are by-products produced by the body’s cells – unfortunately, these by-products also have the ability to harm healthy cells.   Antioxidants reduce the damage by neutralizing these free radicals.

In addition to protecting the body’s cells from free radicals, antioxidants are also being studied for their potential role in reducing the incidence of breast cancer and also heart diseases.  In more recent years, it has also been linked to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common medical conditions of the senior population in the United States.

Other benefits of antioxidants

For many decades, science has been testing and continually exploring the other possible benefits of antioxidants to the human body.  Here are just some of the established benefits of antioxidants:

1. May reduce the incidence of heart disease.

2. Helps boost the immune system.

3. May help slow down internal and external signs of aging.

4. Antioxidants such as vitamin C may also help improve respiratory function, skin health and bone health.

5. Selenium, a natural antioxidant found in fruits, vegetables, grains and meat, has been linked to increased killer cell activities and increased production of antibodies. Selenium has also been associated with the decreased incidence of prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

6. Carrots, which contain a lot of beta carotene, may help reduce night vision problems and bodily infections. Eating carrots and other similar vegetables also enhance the body’s natural development.

7. Vitamin E protects the fats necessary for normal cell growth, reproduction and functions. Is also being hailed as the vitamin for slowing down age-related medical conditions.

8. Lutein, a natural antioxidant, may help promote healthier eyes and clearer vision.

9. Lycopene, a popular antioxidant found in tomato-based products, is very efficient in cleaning up the free radicals in the body and is also readily absorbed by the human body.

10. Antioxidants may help slow down the progress of chronic, degenerative diseases such as adult-onset diabetes.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
news-medical.net
arthritis.co.za
faqs.org
carrotmuseum.co.uk
csiro.au
globalhealingcenter.com

A new Finnish study states that people who eat lots of berries will reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome.

Lingonberry, sea buckthorn, bilberry, and black currants may not be berries that you eat every day, but these less common berries pack a huge punch. A recent study has shown that consumption of these berries reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome.

A new study from Finnish scientists has shown that berries are highly linked to the functioning of our liver as well as our risk for metabolic syndrome. Dr. Heikki Kallio and his fellow researchers took women who were approximately age 43 and divided them into two groups.  One group was given a supplement of Lingonberry, sea buckthorn, bilberry, and black currants. In the other group, berries were simply added to the women’s diets as a snack.

The study found that women who took the berry supplement had their ALAT levels decrease by 23%.  ALAT is a well-studied enzyme, which is linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLAD. It is important to note that NAFLAD has been shown to increase the likelihood of metabolic syndrome.

According to Dr. Kallio and his researchers, “Present study results indicate common northern berries and berry products as an effective component of lifestyle modifications aimed at decreasing development of metabolic syndrome and subsequent complications.”

For those not familiar with metabolic syndrome, it is a condition that puts people at risk for a variety of serious problems like coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, more and more people each year are becoming inflicted with metabolic syndrome. One of its symptoms includes weight gain that is centralized in the abdominal area. Those who suffer from metabolic syndrome also tend to become insulin resistant.

In general, the recommended treatment for metabolic syndrome has been to lose weight and exercise. A low fat diet high in fruits and vegetables is recommended. Fish oil has also been shown to be very useful in treating metabolic syndrome. You can read my Fish oil supplement recommendation in this article.

Another healthy food that has been shown to be effective at reducing the symptoms of metabolic syndrome are nuts. Now we can also add berries to this list of foods that help fight this ever-increasing health issue.

Of course, you should be eating as many berries as possible, even if you aren’t worried about metabolic syndrome. Berries provide our bodies with countless benefits, as they are full of antioxidants, minerals, flavonoids and phytochemicals.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
health.google.com
nutrition.about.com

There’s no news like bad news, and once again, the media have illustrated this axiomatic truth.

For years, I and others in the natural health world have written about the array of benefits antioxidants provide the body.  How antioxidants neutralize free radicals, how they diminish the risk of an assortment of diseases and how they slow the aging process.

These positive benefits haven’t been hid by the media, but they’re rarely afforded the headline status they deserve.  This is mostly because it’s not perceived as news – people just seem to take the benefits of antioxidants for granted whenever a new study comes out on just how effective they are in contributing to overall well-being.

But if a study comes out slamming antioxidants as phony and destructive to health?  Now that’s a story.  It’s the classic journalism credo of “’Dog bites man’ isn’t news, but ‘Man Bites Dog’ is.”

Well ladies and gentlemen, that’s just what we have today, as a study’s been released that actually pooh-poohs the benefits of antioxidants. The researchers say that antioxidants actually “block the positive benefits of exercise on metabolism.”

Now that’s chutzpah!

German researchers came to this conclusion after recruiting approximately 40 men to participate in a four-week study that tested their athletic ability (85 minutes of cardio).  The recruits were both trained and untrained as far as overall fitness goes, and approximately half were assigned to take vitamin C and E supplements following exercise.  The other half took a placebo.

At the end of the study, the researchers came to some surprising – and in my and others’ opinions, flawed – conclusions.  The group that took the placebo showed some improvements in their metabolism, in that their bodies were better able to control and regulate blood sugar (one of the many benefits reaped from regular exercise).  But this wasn’t the case for those who took the vitamin E and C supplements.  They showed no improvements in insulin resistance.

The researchers chalk it up to antioxidants’ blocking reactive oxygen, and because of this, antioxidants might, get this, increase the risk of type II diabetes!

Again, that’s chutzpah!

The sensationally specious study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

I could go into great depth as to why this study should be taken with a grain of salt, and it starts with the fact that it was so small and only involved men.  But thankfully, there’s been a lot of reaction within the scientific community that epitomize my line of thinking in a more reasonably argued way, so I’ll let one of them speak on my behalf.

One of whom is Dr. Alexander Schauss. Speaking to NutraIngredients.com, Dr. Schauss of the AIBMR Life Sciences Center, an organization dedicated to natural products research, said that the study is flawed on its face because the German researchers asked trained and untrained athletes to perform the same amount of aerobic activity.  Naturally, the lab tests of an untrained person’s body will react differently than those of a trained athlete.

Secondly, much of the German researchers’ data was incomplete.  For instance, they collected muscle biopsies from some of the recruits, yet not for others.

Another one of his criticisms hearkens back to my media criticism, in that while the researchers pooh-pooh antioxidants benefit to exercise, they don’t say there’s any negative effects associated with vitamin E and vitamin C.  Yet the headlines around the world imply this untruth all day long (e.g. “Do Antioxidants Curb an Exercise Benefit,” “Antioxidants Blunt Exercise Benefit,” “Vitamins Undo Exercise Efforts”).

I’m hoping we’ve all reached the point where we can’t judge a book by its cover. You have to really read a study or article before coming to any conclusions.

This is a classic case of why you shouldn’t always take studies as gospel.  Because sometimes, they’re written just to get attention.

And all too often, the media are happy to oblige.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
nutraingredients.com
webmd.com