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Green tea protects against heart disease A few cups of green tea each day may help prevent heart disease, Greek researchers said on Wednesday. A study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation showed further evidence of the potential health benefits from a brew already linked to a reduced risk of a range of cancers and other conditions. The study showed that green tea improves blood flow and the ability of arteries to relax, said Charalambos Vlachopoulos, a cardiologist at the Athens Medical School in Greece who worked on the study. Other studies have shown that black tea also has benefits for cardiovascular health. But, the Greek team said they believed green tea might be even better because it had higher quantities of beneficial compounds called flavonoids -- some of which are lost in the oxidation process that black tea undergoes. "A couple of cups a day would probably be a good dose for people," Vlachopoulos said. "This is the first study to show these effects for green tea." The researchers gave 14 healthy volunteers either green tea, diluted caffeine or hot water on three separate occasions and then measured the function of endothelial cells lining the circulatory system. These cells help relax arteries and ease blood flow. "What is important is these effects are evident fairly rapidly, within 30 minutes," Vlachopoulos said. The measurements taken 30, 90 and 120 minutes following consumption showed an almost immediate benefit among people who had drunk green tea, he said. Heart disease is the world's leading cause of death. It is caused by fatty deposits that harden and block arteries, high blood pressure which damages blood vessels, and other factors. While the researchers looked only at a short-term impact, Vlachopolous said the team's not-yet-published studies suggest the protection is long lasting. "Green tea is consumed less in the Western world than black tea, but it could be more beneficial because of the way it seems to improve circulatory function," he said. Dr. Cinque's comments: I wonder if they were giving Tim Russert green tea, although I doubt it. But what would it have hurt? I am not much of a tea-drinker myself, so I get my green tea from a tiny supplement that I take every day. It's amazing that they can squeeze all the flavinoids from several cups of green tea into one little capsule, but they can. You will see Green Tea listed on the Daily Program page, since it's among the supplements that I take. But for those who prefer to drink green tea, that's fine with me. You can eliminate most of the caffeine by doing the second steeping technique: Steep it once, pour it off, and then steep it again with the same teabag. Instant decaffination! E-mail to a friend Previous Article |
