Drink Green Tea to Age Gracefully
July 25, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Drink Green Tea to Age Gracefully
Green tea, or Camellia sinesis has been extensively studied and is thought to have several health benefits, including its potential to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, decrease blood pressure, lower total cholesterol, raise good cholesterol, and its inherent antioxidant properties. Now, we can add another benefit to the list: a new study reveals it can also be helpful for the aging process too.
In a rather large study of 14,000 adults who were 65 years of age or older, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine researchers studied the green tea drinking habits of the study participants over a three-year period.
Among the people that drank the most green tea during the study evaluation period, the researchers found to be best functioning in old age. Best functioning meant that they didn’t have troubles with daily activities, like dressing or bathing. Basic functioning problems were seen in seven and 13 percent of the people who drank at least five cups of green tea daily and one cup or less of green tea daily, respectively.
“Green tea consumption is significantly associated with a lower risk of incident functional disability, even after adjustment for possible confounding factors,” researchers concluded in the study.
Experts in the medical community believe that the health-providing characteristics of green tea are generated mostly from its polyphenols, which are chemicals with powerful antioxidant properties.
It should also be noted that the study participants who drank the most green tea, also had healthier lifestyles, including a diet rich in fish and vegetables and lower smoking rates.
The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Doctor Headquarters (DrHQ.com) Editorial Staff Copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
