Antioxidants in Tea

I have found that antioxidants in tea can be a very powerful step in the anti-aging battle. Teas have been used in Asia for medicinal purpose for thousands of years. Researchers are now being to understand the powerful health benefits found in tea.

Which antioxidants are found in tea?

The antioxidants in tea are part of the family of antioxidants know as flavonoids . The most effect and most well known flavonoid in tea are the catechins.

Catechins are a group of water soluable polyphenols and antioxidants. These catechins are easily oxidized by the body and need to be replaced regularly. Teas are the most important source of catechins in the human diet. They are in the same class of antioxidants that include red wine, fruits and chocolate. In laboratory studies, catechins have been shown to inhibit and/or slow tumor cell growth and prevent oxidative stress prior to cell injury by linking to free radicals.

Do all teas have the same antioxidant properties?

Those all types of tea do come from the same plant, they do not all have the same levels of antioxidants. This difference is due to how the tea is processed.

Black tea has the least about of catechins (the antioxidants in tea) of all of the true tea. This is due to the fermentation process black tea undergoes.

Green tea has more catechins than black tea. Green tea does not undergo the fermentation process and is able to retain more of its antioxidants.

Oolong tea is somewhere between black and green tea. It does undergo a short fermentation process than black tea but through the processing losses more of it catechins.

White tea has the most catechins of all of the true teas. It does not undergo any fermentation process and is make of up of only youngest tea leaves. It is basically uncut and dried tea buds right from the Camellia sinensis plant.

What are the health benefits of tea?

• Green tea antioxidants, white tea antioxidants and oolong tea antioxidants namely catechins can assist in reducing free radical damage preventing oxidative stress.


• The antioxidants in tea have show the ability to decreases cholesterol levels in blood and prevent the bad cholesterol from causing oxidation. By stopping or slowing oxidation, tea can help to prevent narrowing of blood vessels caused by the build up of cholesterol.


• Tea (green tea in particular) has been show to be effective for lowering high blood pressure.


• Tea can improve conditions of the intestines and the entire digestive system by enhancing the growth of good bacteria that keep our systems property digesting and absorbing food and by blocking growth of harmful bacteria.


• Tea has been and is currently being studied in reducing the risk of arterial sclerosis, heart failure, strokes, cancer and diabetes. The research coming out of China where green tea is a staple is very encouraging.


• Green tea in particular has been shown to be highly effective in preventing tooth decay and currently green tea extract is a ingredient in several toothpastes. Green tea and white tea contain fluorides that have been shown to slow down the growth of oral bacteria reducing the number of cavities.

More information on green tea, white tea and oolong tea for the maximum health benefits

1. Skip the milk. It has been reported that casein in milk has been shown in laboratory studies to hinder the beneficial effect of tea including the antioxidants in tea.


2. Forget the sugars and honey if you are trying to lose weight. True teas are very low in calories, so try to avoid adding calories back in.


3. Add a little Vitamin C to your green tea. Adding citrus juices including lemon has been demonstrated in laboratory tests to improve the antioxidants found in green tea in particular.


4. Not all teas have the same amount of caffeine. Black tea has been show to have the most, followed by oolong tea, green tea with white tea having the least. There are also decaf varieties of tea available on the market.

In the end – drink whatever kind of tea you like the best! The antioxidants in tea are a benefit to your overall health.

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