Researchers in Japan said that black tea may help treat osteoporosis that affects the elderly, but they pointed out that it is necessary to drink very large quantities of it to achieve this. Scientists explained that this drink contains an antioxidant that prevents the decline in bone density that occurs with aging, which exposes the elderly to more fractures.
The researchers, led by Keizo Nishikawa from Osaka University, found that the antioxidant TF-3 inhibits an enzyme that destroys bone tissue. The research, which was published on the website of the American journal Nature Medicine, found that mice suffer from osteoporosis.
The bones were given TF-3, which recorded an improvement in the level of bone density, which became the level of healthy mice. However, the study indicated that an adult weighing 60 kilograms would need to drink 60 cups of tea over a period of 3 days to record a noticeable difference, according to what the news agency reported.
Osteoporosis affects women, especially at advanced ages, and it is a growing problem in rapidly aging societies such as Japan. An American study showed that drinking black tea helps reduce blood sugar levels. A report stated that the number of people with diabetes has risen to levels record worldwide, and that half of those estimated to be infected with the disease have not yet been diagnosed. An old study indicated that the habit of serving tea mixed with milk could cause it to lose some of its health benefits. The study was published in the European newspaper Al-Qalb, where the researchers studied 16 people. Adults drank cups of black tea with boiling water only, and others mixed it with a small amount of skim milk. The researchers then measured the effect of these drinks on blood vessel function.
The researchers discovered that black tea improved the function of their arteries for those who used boiled water, while they found that adding milk to tea lost this positive effect on arterial health. A recent study showed that black tea improves the body’s metabolism, which reduces blood sugar levels for diabetics, and also reduces the incidence of diabetes. The study indicated that black tea contains flavonoids, which are an antioxidant that benefits the body and increases its resistance to diseases.
Tea is considered one of the most consumed beverages in the world, because it is rich in antioxidants and vitamins, and helps reduce cell damage. It is also linked to combating cavities and improving blood sugar levels, and it also has health benefits for the blood vessels in the heart. The difference between “black” and “green” tea is similar to the difference between “red” and “white” wine. The black tea industry goes through a process of fermentation or oxidation to change the color of the leaves from green to black, while the green tea industry does not go through a fermentation process so that the leaves retain their color. But the tea plant, whatever its type, descends from the seedling itself.
Decades ago, tea connoisseurs could choose between black and green tea, but now the list of options is vast, and even the bags have many attractive shapes. Green tea and black tea have been joined by organic tea, herbal and flower tea, ready-to-drink tea, and fruit-flavored tea. Some of the most common types are jasmine tea, earl gray tea, chamomile tea, and lemon-flavored tea and mint.
