Take Heart! The Flavonoid Antioxidants in Tea May be Good for Cardiovascular Health
24 Oktober 2005 - 5:45PM
PR Newswire (US)
News From American Dietetic Association Highlights the Health
Benefits of Tea ST. LOUIS, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Research
presented at the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) annual
meeting revealed that tea provides more flavonoid antioxidants than
any other food or beverage in the U.S. diet. Other studies
presented at the conference indicated that tea flavonoid
antioxidants might provide a myriad of health benefits, including
reduced risk for heart disease, control of metabolic syndrome and
blood glucose regulation as well as emerging neuroprotective
effects. "Several studies have found that drinking tea may be good
for the heart due to power of flavonoid antioxidants - the
antioxidants found in tea," said Douglas Balentine, Ph.D., Director
Nutrition Sciences North America, who presented at the ADA Food and
Nutrition Conference & Expo about the role of dietary
flavonoids in health. "For most Americans, drinking a cup of tea a
day - hot or cold, black or green - will nearly double their
current intake of flavonoid antioxidants." In a presentation titled
"Potential Health Benefits of Dietary Flavonoids" Balentine
presented the latest findings about tea consumption and human
health. Here are highlights from the presentation: Tea Contributes
More Than 85 Percent of Flavonoids in U.S. Diet Antioxidants are
known to help protect the body from the damaging effects of free
radicals. Damage caused by free radicals contributes to aging and
cardiovascular disease. Flavonoids are a type of antioxidant that
are known to be biologically active and are found primarily in
plant-based foods and beverages, including fruits and vegetables,
chocolate, red wine and regular tea. Tea, the primary source of
flavonoid antioxidants in the U.S. diet, contains approximately 125
mg flavonoids per cup (225ml). Populations with higher intakes of
dietary flavonoids have a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular
disease. Clinical and mechanistic studies have demonstrated that
dietary flavonoids, especially the catechin class, may help improve
cardiovascular health by improving endothelial function, reducing
inflammation in the vascular endothelium, and by reducing platelet
activity. A recent analysis of the Nurses Health Cohort found that
tea drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Emerging evidence suggests that flavonoids may also play a role in
maintaining blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity.
Using data from the national nutrition monitoring surveys (CFSIII)
and the USDA Database describing the flavonoid content of foods, a
research team from Exponent, a scientific research firm, found that
the average flavonoid intake of U.S. consumers is 134.0 mg/day.
Beverages were found to be the major contributors of dietary
flavonoids in this study, with an average of 125.0 mg/day. Tea was
found to provide 117mg/day of dietary flavonoids or 87 percent of
the dietary flavonoids in the U.S. diet. The data presented by
Exponent adds to similar data presented earlier this year from
Michigan State University researchers, who also found tea to be the
leading source of flavonoid antioxidants in the U.S. diet. Green
and Black Tea are Both Metabolically Active New research conducted
at the Unilever Food Research Centre in Vlaardingen, The
Netherlands and the University of Nottingham in Nottingham, U.K.
used nutritional metabonomics to determine whether green and black
teas are metabolically equal. The study included 14 healthy males
who were given a daily dose of equal amounts of green tea solids,
black tea solids or 360 mg caffeine (control) in a randomized
crossover design study. Metabonomics is a new research technique
that uses complex modeling to assess metabolic effects of dietary
interventions in the body. The study found that black and green tea
resulted in a comparable increase in the urinary excretion of
flavonoid metabolites. "These results indicate that similar amounts
of flavonoids from both green and black tea are taken up by the
body and are metabolized in a similar way," explained Balentine.
"This means that both black and green tea can contribute dietary
flavonoids to the body." However, the metabonomics study suggests
that green tea was more effective than black tea in inducing
metabolites associated with energy metabolism. Flavonoids in Green
Tea May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Recent research reported in the
September issue of The Journal of Neuroscience found that green tea
catechin EGCG, was capable of reducing biomarkers linked to
Alzheimer's disease in animal models. Alzheimer's disease is one of
several neurodegenerative diseases that is thought to be linked to
free radicals and ensuing inflammation and impaired blood flow to
the brain and surrounding tissues. Research shows that oxidative
stress from the daily effects of living, normal metabolism,
exercise and environmental pollutants and toxins such as sunlight
and carbon monoxide result in the production of free radicals.
Other studies show that diets or dietary compounds that help
improve blood flow and heart health, such as antioxidants found in
green or black tea, may also promote good blood flow to the brain
and nervous system. A research team in Israel found that EGCG, a
flavonoid found in both black and green teas, is effective in
blocking damage to nerve cells in models of Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's Disease. "While more research is needed to further
define the role of green tea and neurodegenerative diseases, the
emerging science suggests that tea flavonoids may help maintain
healthy cognitive function by reducing nerve damage as aging
occurs," said Balentine. Together, the new tea research presented
by Balentine adds to many existing studies that indicate drinking
tea regularly is healthful, and it may help reduce risk for many
chronic, degenerative diseases. For optimal health benefits, tea
should be consumed as part of a balanced diet containing a wide
variety of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products. Lipton(R)
Teas, made from real tea leaves, feature the AOX(TM) Seal, a
proprietary mark that indicates a substantial level of
antioxidants. Certified by the Unilever Health Institute in The
Netherlands, the AOX(TM) Seal is unique to Lipton(R) products and
can be found on many green and black teas, including tea bags,
Green Tea Iced Tea Mix, Lipton To Go and most ready- to-drink
bottled iced teas. About American Dietetic Association (ADA) and
the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) The American
Dietetic Association provides the oversight and professional
accreditation to nearly 65,000 registered dietitians and dietetic
technicians. The ADA is the nation's largest organization of food
and nutrition professionals in the United States. ADA serves the
public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well being. At
the ADA's FNCE annual meeting, the media and the food industry
together address critical food and nutrition issues that impact
consumers. About Lipton(R) Teas Lipton(R), the world's leading tea
brand, is committed to bringing consumers great tasting, healthy
tea products in a variety of convenient forms. Innovative Lipton(R)
Iced Tea To Go Sticks allow consumers to add the natural goodness
of tea to water - for the great taste of tea even when they're on
the go! Lipton(R) Original Ready to Drink is the only leading
national bottled iced tea brand made with fresh brewed tea, not
from powders or concentrate. Lipton(R) Ready to Drink Iced Tea, is
a great tasting product with naturally protective antioxidants -
available in a convenient plastic bottle. Hot or cold, black or
green, Lipton(R) is the leader in tea offering a range of great
tasting, healthy products for today's health conscious consumer.
Visit Lipton.com to order Lipton(R) Teas online, or use the product
locator to find a store that carries your favorite Lipton(R)
products. At Lipton.com you can learn about tea and health and
watch a demonstration of the power of the antioxidants found in
Lipton(R) Teas. About Unilever Unilever, one of the world's largest
consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by
meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care.
Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to
purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands
that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In
the United States these brands include recognized names such as:
Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country
Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton,
Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave
and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered
trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving
consumers and the communities where we live, work and play,
Unilever in the United States employs more than 15,000 people in 74
office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -
generating approximately $10 billion in sales in 2004. For more
information visit http://www.unileverusa.com/. DATASOURCE: Unilever
CONTACT: Media, Alexis Merin of Ogilvy PR Worldwide,
+1-212-880-5200, or Web site: http://www.unileverusa.com/
http://lipton.com/
Copyright