Tea Blog Articles

Another study has shed light on the health benefits of green tea, showing that natural chemicals found in the leaves could help to reduce the likelihood of suffering Alzheimer's.

Experts based at the University of Leeds in the UK found through lab tests that harmful clumps of protein are able to latch onto brain cells, therefore causing them to die.

However, they were able to interrupt this process using extracts from green tea and red wine.

The findings, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, illustrated that new drugs could be developed to treat Alzheimer's.

When the green tea extracts were added to the cells, it was discovered that the amyloid proteins were reshaped, therefore no longer posing a threat to the nerve cells.

As their shape was distorted, they were no longer able to bond with the cells and disrupt their functionality.

Dr Simon Ridley, from the charity Alzheimer's Research UK, explained that these findings may prove valuable to those in the field of medical development.

"Understanding the causes of Alzheimer's is vital if we are to find a way of stopping the disease in its tracks.

"While these early-stage results should not be a signal for people to stock up on green tea and red wine, they could provide an important new lead in the search for new and effective treatments," he commented.

This is far from the only evidence of the health benefits of green tea, as various studies over the years have linked it to overall wellbeing.

Michael Smith, naturopath at The Health Nut and nutritionist, recently explained to the Gladstone Observer that there are various aspects of green tea that make it a healthy choice.

It is the epigallocatechin-3-gallate component that is responsible for carrying out much of the good work, he noted, and it also has various anti-ageing properties.