Health Benefits of Coffee Consumption
While I have not updated my comprehensive review of the
Health Benefits of White and Green Tea Consumption
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition certainly has, with a comprehensive new report:
Tea may help promote weight loss, improve heart health and slow progression of prostate cancer
Decades worth of research shows that tea—the second most consumed beverage in the world—may help prevent chronic illnesses, including heart disease, certain types of cancer and type 2 diabetes. New research shows tea has been found to help promote weight loss and maintain a healthy weight, improve bone health and activate areas of the brain that bolster attention, problem solving and mood.
Tea Leaf Polyphenols May Promote Weight Loss
Tea polyphenols and the caffeine content in tea increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation, providing benefits for achieving and maintaining an ideal body weight.
Tea May Reduce Risk for Some Cancers
Hundreds—if not thousands—of laboratory, epidemiological and human intervention studies have found anti-cancer properties in compounds present in tea. The types of cancer that have shown benefits of tea include cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, lung, prostate, breast, and skin. The proposed mechanisms of action for providing protection against cancer include antioxidant effects, inhibition of growth factor signaling, as well as improving the efficacy of chemotherapy agents.
Tea Catechins are Cardioprotective
Numerous studies suggest tea supports heart health and healthy blood pressure, and appears to be associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack. New research, published in the AJCN provides further support. Study results published by Claudio Ferri, MD, University L'Aquila, Italy, found that black tea reduced blood pressure.
"Our studies build on previous work to clearly show that drinking as little as one cup of tea per day supports healthy arterial function and blood pressure. These results suggest that on a population scale, drinking tea could help reduce significantly the incidence of stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases," concluded Dr. Ferri.
Tea Flavonoids Improve Bone Strength and Quality
Osteoporosis is a major public health concern but new research suggests that polyphenols in green tea may help improve bone quality and strength through many proposed mechanisms. In fact, one study found that tea drinking was associated with a 30% reduced risk in hip fractures among men and women over 50 years old. Numerous other studies have found that green tea flavanols provide a restorative effect to bone remodeling to help maintain bone density and slow bone loss.
Tea Improves Mood, Alertness and Problem Solving
Results from new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking tea improved attention and allowed individuals to be more focused on the task at hand. In this placebo-controlled study, subjects who drank tea produced more accurate results during an attention task and also felt more alert than subjects drinking a placebo. These effects were found for 2-3 cups of tea consumed within a time period of up to 90 minutes. Several studies have evaluated the role of tea in strengthening attention, mood and performance, and the results have been promising. It is thought that the amino acid theanine and caffeine, both present in tea, contribute to many of tea's psychological benefits.
These reports have renewed my commitment to increased consumption of white tea and coffee.
I already am deeply committed to a Mediterranean Diet:
Mediterranean Diet May Help Women Live Longer, Healthier Lives
The women who ate healthier not only lived longer, but they also thrived. They were less likely to have any major chronic diseases and more likely to have no impairment in physical functioning, mental health or thinking skills. Those who closely followed the Mediterranean diet were more likely to live past age 70 without heart disease, diabetes or other chronic diseases.
Although the study did not look at men, Samieri said, previous studies on diet and healthy aging have found no gender differences, "so it seems reasonable to believe that the benefit would be similar."
Sodoku isn't enough for me apparently, but I like to think I'm involved in enough other mentally challenging activities to keep my mind active:
Learning new skills keeps an aging mind sharp
Older adults are often encouraged to stay active and engaged to keep their minds sharp, that they have to "use it or lose it." But new research indicates that only certain activities — learning a mentally demanding skill like photography, for instance — are likely to improve cognitive functioning. These findings, forthcoming in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, reveal that less demanding activities, such as listening to classical music or completing word puzzles, probably won't bring noticeable benefits to an aging mind.
Other interesting reports:
Tree nut consumption associated with reduced risk of pancreatic cancer in women
Research shows the more chocolate you eat, the lower your body fat level
Moderate exercise not only treats, but prevents depression
Review of Daily Aspirin Dosage Highlights Concerns About Side Effects
The risk for colorectal cancer from eating red or processed meat
Flu Vaccine Associated With Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Events
Resveratrol could fight Alzheimer's
Omega-3 protects brain
Study strengthens link between low dietary fiber intake and increased cardiovascular risk
If you find this report interesting, you will probably enjoy reading these:
Previous Reports
2013
1/5/13
1/29/13
2/23/13
3/20/13
4/13/13
5/4/13
5/24/13
7/6/13
8/3/13
8/27/13
9/21/13
10/14/13
2012
December 1
October 22
September 13
August 10
June 26
June 2
May 18
May 7
April 24
March 28
3/6/12
2/7/12
1/27/12
1/3/12
2011
12/7/11
11/12/11
October 29
October 7
September 19
August 26
August 11
July 22
June 25
June 4
May 21
May 7
April 13
March 29
March 2
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