Drinking Tea Can Help Prevent Cancer

Misbar has discovered that this ancient beverage is considered anticarcinogenic. Tea contains a range of compounds, including polyphenols. These are the compounds in tea suspected of having the most health benefits. There are several recent studies that support tea’s ability to combat cancer.

For example, Oolong tea has shown promise for reducing the risk of cancer. In a study in Anticancer Research it was found that drinking oolong tea helps reduce breast cancer cell growth and has potential as a chemo-preventive agent against breast cancer development. White tea, originally from an Eastern province of China, was also found to reduce cancer cell growth. 

Tea consumption may also play a role in reducing skin damage that eventually leads to skin cancer. In one study, areas of skin of normal volunteers were treated with an extract of green tea or one of its constituents. Thirty minutes later, the treated sites were exposed to solar simulated radiation. UV-treated skin was then examined for UV-induced DNA damage. On examination, skin treated with green tea extracts reduced the number of sunburn cells and protected cells from UV damage. Green tea extracts also reduced the DNA damage that formed after UV radiation.

According to the National Cancer Institute, the type of tea you drink may matter when it comes to cancer prevention. Iced and ready-to-drink teas may not have the same polyphenol content as an equal volume of brewed tea. The polyphenol concentration of any particular tea beverage depends on the type of tea, the amount used, the brew time, and the temperature. The highest polyphenol concentration is found in brewed hot tea, less so in instant preparations, and lower amounts in iced and ready-to-drink teas. 

There are some who are hesitant to recommend tea for cancer prevention because much of the tea and cancer research thus far has been on animals instead of humans. 

However, several studies do show the potential for tea to lower your risk of cancer.