Tea can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and death

The latest study reports that Japanese researchers have followed more than 40,000 middle-aged and elderly people aged 40 to 79 years old in a certain place since 1994 and found that compared with those who drink less than 1 cup of tea a day, the average risk of death from cerebrovascular disease is reduced by 22% for men and 31% for women who drink more than 5 cups of green tea a day. Among them, cerebral infarction has the most obvious decrease, with a 42% decrease for men and a 62% decrease for women.

According to the British "Daily Mail" report, a latest study found that drinking 3 cups of tea a day can reduce the risk of myocardial infarction by 70%. Research reports from Finland and France also show that drinking 2 to 3 cups of tea a day can reduce the risk of stroke.

Tea can lower cholesterol and blood pressure

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong found that drinking tea can reduce total blood cholesterol levels by 25%. Another survey that studied the relationship between tea drinking and the incidence of hypertension found that the incidence of hypertension among people who did not drink tea was 10.55%, and that among those who often drank tea was 6.95%. Tea does have a certain antihypertensive effect.

Tea helps prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease

Tea has a protective effect on brain cells. Tea can effectively delay brain degeneration and help maintain the health of cerebral blood vessels. The latest research shows that drinking more tea can improve memory and prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Tea has anti-stress and anti-anxiety effects

Modern life and work are fast-paced and stressful, which often cause mental and psychological symptoms such as anxiety, tension, irritability, and depression. Green tea contains theanine, which is a non-sedative relaxant that can help the brain increase the production of gamma waves. Gamma waves can help control anxiety, improve concentration, improve mental state and overall function. Generally, 3-4 cups of green tea can contain 100-200 mg of theanine, which makes green tea better effective in anti-stress and anti-anxiety.

Tea can improve immunity

If there is a flu outbreak recently, drink more tea. Researchers from Harvard University have pointed out that people who drink 5 cups of tea a day for 2 weeks will produce a large amount of anti-viral interferon in their bodies. The content is 10 times that of people who do not drink tea. This protein that can resist infection can improve human immunity and effectively help the body resist influenza.

Other health benefits of tea

Tea can also eliminate fatigue, refresh yourself, improve eyesight, digestion, diuresis and detoxification, prevent dental caries, and eliminate bad breath. Tea is also an alkaline drink, which is helpful for correcting acidic constitution... Tea is worthy of being the healthiest drink in the 21st century.

It is an indisputable fact that tea makes an important contribution to human health. Before the 19th century, no one could clearly tell us why tea has so many functions. Since the 1960s and 1970s, the ancient and magical field of tea has ushered in the exploration of natural sciences. A large number of scientific technologies have been used to study and analyze the substances contained in tea, thus opening this magical door for us.

As can be seen from the picture, tea leaves contain 75% water, which is the scientific basis for "4 pounds of fresh leaves to 1 pound of tea". The water-soluble substances in tea are 30%-48%. Its main chemical components include tea polyphenols, alkaloids, amino acids, sugars, organic acids, etc., which constitute the quality and taste of tea.

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are widely found in nature. The well-known ones include tea polyphenols, apple polyphenols, grape polyphenols, etc. Because of their good antioxidant functions, they are widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other fields.

Tea polyphenols are one of the main components that contribute to the color and aroma of tea. They are also one of the main components of tea that have health care functions. It has high content, wide distribution and great changes, and has the most significant impact on the quality of tea. Tea polyphenols include catechins, anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavonols and phenolic acids, among which catechins have the highest content and are the most important. Research shows that half an hour after drinking a cup of tea, the antioxidant capacity (ability to resist oxygen free radicals) in the blood increases by 41%-48%, and can remain at a high level for one and a half hours.

Polyphenols account for about 1/3 of the total dry matter of fresh leaves and 3/4 of the total tea extract. They are extremely active in nature and are prone to undergo a series of chemical reactions under external conditions to generate some new chemical substances, which affect the quality of various types of tea. Therefore, the oxidation degree of tea polyphenols is one of the important basis for classifying various teas.

Polyphenols are the main part of water-soluble pigments in tea, the main body of tea soup color, and also participate in the composition of dry tea color; at the same time, the main components causing astringency in tea are polyphenols and their oxidation products, aldehydes, iron and other substances, among which catechins play a particularly important role in the presentation of astringency.

Tea amino acids

The amino acids in tea mainly include more than 20 kinds of theanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, etc. Among them, theanine is an important component in forming the aroma and freshness of tea, accounting for more than 50% of the free amino acids in tea. Its water-soluble substances are mainly characterized by umami and sweet taste, which can suppress the bitterness of tea soup. Japan has used theanine as a food additive in 1964.

In addition to being extracted from tea leaves, theanine can also be produced through biosynthesis, chemical synthesis and other pathways. Because theanine has the effects of lowering blood pressure, calming the nerves, improving sleep, and promoting brain function, it has been used as a health food and pharmaceutical raw material.

How do different groups of people choose tea?

1. Drink green tea frequently. According to reports, green tea can help fight and prevent cancer, lower blood lipids, and prevent atherosclerosis. Green tea is suitable for workers who are often exposed to toxic substances or in environments with serious air pollution. For these groups, the active ingredients in green tea can play a protective role; suitable for smokers and alcoholics, it is beneficial to detoxification and sobering up; suitable for young people in the vigorous development period; suitable for mental workers, it can improve the agility of the brain, keep the mind clear and full of energy for a long time, and is beneficial to enhance thinking ability, judgment and memory; suitable for people with yin deficiency constitution; suitable for people with weight loss and beauty needs. When pregnant women drink green tea, it is better to use lighter tea soup.

2. Exercise regularly and drink black tea. Black tea is warm in nature and is suitable for people with weak health, as well as sports people and people who work hard. You can add sugar when drinking, which is helpful to increase energy and supplement nutrition. It is advisable for pregnant women to drink black tea 1 to 2 months before delivery and after delivery.

3. Drink green tea if you want to lose weight. Green tea (oolong tea) has the effects of lowering blood lipids, preventing atherosclerosis, and prolonging life. It is suitable for people who are obese and want to lose weight and beautify their bodies. It is also suitable for people who exercise. It is suitable for people who mainly eat meat and helps digestion. It is suitable for people with Yang deficiency and cold spleen and stomach.

4. Eat meat often and drink black tea. Black tea is suitable for people who mainly eat meat and eat a lot of beef and mutton all year round. It is beneficial to promote fat digestion; it is also suitable for people who lose weight. In some ethnic minorities and border areas in my country, they are often accustomed to drinking post-fermented pressed tea such as brick tea, cake tea, Pu'er tea, etc. This is related to their eating habits.

5. Drink scented tea when you are in a bad mood. Scented tea is suitable for people with excessive mental work, helping to relieve depression and refresh themselves; suitable for people with yang deficiency and cold spleen and stomach; suitable for menstrual and menopausal women, it can relieve irritability of temperament, soothe the liver and relieve stagnation, regulate qi and regulate menstruation.

The chemical components in tea not only determine the quality of the tea, but are also closely related to certain pharmacological effects of drinking tea. However, the formation of tea quality and health effects are not based on the effect of a certain ingredient, but the coordinated effect of multiple ingredients.

Speaking of the effects of tea on the body, are you a little excited? Whether you have drunk tea or not, from now on, you will feel better after drinking it.

　(Editor: Bonnie)

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