No dinner in China or afternoon in England is complete without a cup of hot tea. If you don't like the stimulation and jitters of caffeinated tea, you may prefer decaf. Fortunately, decaf has many of the same health boosting benefits --- like cancer prevention and inflammation reduction --- of regular tea.
Cancer Risk
Decaf green tea is bursting with unique antioxidants known as tea polyphenols. Tea polyphenols act as body guards for your cell's DNA. Damaged cellular DNA can cause cells to replicate uncontrollably, leading to cancer. Drinking decaf green or black tea gives your body an abundance of these cancer fighting polylphenols, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Tea is especially beneficial in reducing the risk of cancers of the breast, bladder, pancreas and skin.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious health problem that increases the risk of blindness, kidney failure and cardiovascular disease. Regularly consuming tea can help keep type 2 diabetes at bay, reports Rachel Huxley of the The University of Sydney. In a paper published in the December 2009 issue of the journal "Archives of Internal Medicine," Huxley discovered that regular tea drinkers had a significantly lower diabetes risk compared to those who seldom drank tea. The polyphenols in tea reduce inflammation, the underlying cause of the insulin resistance that precedes type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular Disease
Drinking one and a half cups of decaf tea, like green tea or oolong tea, cuts cardiovascular disease risk by more than 25 percent, Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute reports. The antioxidants in tea protect your heart's arteries from the damage that can cause plaque formation and blocked arteries. Additionally, green tea boosts "good" HDL cholesterol that can help your body clear out plaque buildup, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is the result of low bone mineral density. Having osteoporosis can put you at a heightened risk of fractures. Drinking tea can help you maintain the strength of your bones, notes Verona M. Hegarty of the University of Cambridge School of Medicine. In a paper found in the April 2000 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," Hegarty concluded that regular tea drinkers had 5 percent greater bone mineral density than those who seldom drank tea. Compounds in decaf tea called flavonoids stimulate bone-building cells.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and Tea Consumption in Relation to Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Rachel Huxley, DPhil, et al.; December 2009
- Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute: Tea and Chronic Disease Prevention
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Tea Drinking and Bone Mineral Density in Older Women; Verona M Hegarty; April 2000
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