Tea consumption and disease correlations

Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water and is obtained from the leaves Camellia sinensis. In recent years, the potential health benefits and effect mechanisms of tea have attracted a lot of interest. The potential health benefits of tea have been attributed to its various phenolic compounds with unique biological properties found in tea. These phenolic compounds are especially catechins and their derivatives, which constitute at most 30% of the dry weight of the tea. Tea is a new and effective strategy for reducing the severity of neurological diseases and for protecting against obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer (ovaryum, lung, skin, breast, endometrial, prostate, bladder, oral and colorectal cancers).Overall, the study that supports the health benefits of tea is increasing. But, the amounts of and the frequency of tea consumption that is associated with potential health benefits vary greatly from work to work and this situation creates difficulty in determining the optimal consumption amount and frequency that tea can exhibit health benefits. For this reason, we aimed to examine the health effect of the tea and how much consumption is to investigate whether it meets the claimed health benefits.Within that frame, there is a need for more studies on the possible health effects of tea. While studying on that effect, the effects of various doses, forms (in synthetic or natural product matrix), exposure in different periods (short or long term) on health should be studied. However, currently the conducted studies are promising for tea is a bioactive component like polyphenol, theaflavins, thearubigins, caffeine and mineral. In addition, although the fact intake with diet proved to be reliable at the end of the conducted acute and chronic toxicity test is another positive part, safety of bioactive component in tea should be supported through further studies.     

Epidemiological Evidence Linking Tea Consumption to Human Health: A Review

Tea has been widely consumed around the world for thousands of years and drinking tea is a daily habit for people of all ages. Tea is a major source of flavanoids, which have become well known as antioxidants. Tea also contains caffeine and theanine, which have been found to associate with health benefits. Many animal and epidemiological studies have been conducted to investigate the link between tea consumption and human health. However, common questions that arise about tea consumption include: whether all teas are the same, why drinking tea is linked with health benefits, how do the different ways of tea preparation impact on availability of tea components, how much and how long a person should consume tea to obtain health benefits, and whether there is any negative health effect associated with drinking tea. To answer these questions, this paper outlines the tea components and their link to human health, discusses major factors affecting availability of tea components in a tea cup, and reviews the latest epidemiological evidence linking tea consumption to human health.     

A review of recent studies in China on the possible beneficial health effects of tea

Tea is one of the most heavily consumed beverages in the world. The relationship between tea drinking and human health is becoming a subject of intense study by scientists throughout the world. In this paper, we first provide a comprehensive analysis of the medical literature on tea published in China during the past 20 years, and then highlight some recent studies in China on the relationship between tea and several human diseases. During the period 1982–2002, 691 research papers related to tea and health have been published in 290 Chinese journals. These studies showed that tea and tea constituents have various biological activities and suggested that tea drinking might be beneficial to human health. Tea has potential in the prevention or adjuvant treatment of several diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The trend and future direction in medical research on tea in China are also briefly discussed.     

Tea caffeine: Metabolism, functions, and reduction strategies

Tea is a product made up from topmost part of the plant Camellia sinensis. This part includes bud, first leaf (next to bud), second leaf, and stem (spanning from bud to second leaf). Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, well ahead of coffee, beer, wine, and carbonated soft drinks. Clinical studies have demonstrated that one of the harmful effects of tea over consumption, at least in sensitive peoples is due to its caffeine content. In view of this, major points discussed in this article are the following: i) a brief overview on tea and its biochemical composition, ii) health effects of tea drink, iii) caffeine metabolism and its functions, iv) possible strategies for caffeine reduction in tea, and v) feasibility of tea improvement through biotechnological approaches.     

Chemistry and Biological Activities of Processed Camellia sinensis Teas: A Comprehensive Review

Tea is a typical processed beverage from the fresh leaves of Camellia sinensis [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] or Camellia assamica [Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Mast.) Kitamura] through different manufacturing techniques. The secondary metabolites of fresh tea leaves are mainly flavan‐3‐ols, phenolic acids, purine alkaloids, condensed tannins, hydrolysable tannins, saponins, flavonols, and their glycoside forms. During the processing, tea leaves go through several steps, such as withering, rolling, fermentation, postfermentation, and roasting (drying) to produce different types of tea. After processing, theaflavins, thearubigins, and flavan‐3‐ols derivatives emerge as the newly formed compounds with a corresponding decrease in concentrations of catechins. Each type of tea has its own critical process and presents unique chemical composition and flavor. The components among different teas also cause significant changes in their biological activities both in vitro and in vivo. In the present review, the progress of tea chemistry and the effects of individual unit operation on components were comprehensively described. The health benefits of tea were also reviewed based on the human epidemiological and clinical studies. Although there have been multiple studies about the tea chemistry and biological activities, most of existing results are related to tea polyphenols, especially (‐)‐epigallocatechin gallate. Other compounds, including the novel compounds, as well as isomers of amino acids and catechins, have not been explored in depth.     

A Comprehensive Overview of the Risks and Benefits of Coffee Consumption

Findings on both the health benefits and the potentially harmful effects of coffee consumption have been contradictory. However, the general scientific consensus is that moderate, regular coffee drinking by healthy individuals is either essentially benign or mildly beneficial.  Results and generalizations are complicated by a number of factors, including differences in age, gender, health status, type of coffee preparation, serving size, and source of coffee. Coffee may have potential health benefits and risks, but causality cannot be established for either with the research currently available as these are largely based on observational data.  This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the risks and benefits of coffee consumption on health outcomes.  A systematic search (search terms: “coffee” OR “coffee adj3” [consum* or intake* or drink*]) of the literature (from 1970; humans; in English) using the electronic databases “OVID,” “CINAHL,” and “Web of Knowledge” returned 12405 results. Duplicates were removed, studies were screened (based on inclusion/exclusion criteria), and the remaining eligible studies (n = 1277) were used to collate an exhaustive list of the potential health benefits and risks of coffee consumption, which were grouped and are discussed with regard to major diseases/conditions (mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and metabolic/liver/neurological disorders), at‐risk/vulnerable groups, and specific coffee constituents. This qualitative assessment has shown that the health benefits (or null effects) clearly outweigh the risks of moderate coffee consumption in adult consumers for the majority of health outcomes considered. Results from this research may aid further qualitative and quantitative deterministic risk–benefit assessments of coffee consumption.     

Beneficial effects of tea and its polyphenols against prostate cancer

Tea, next to water, is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Depending upon the level of fermentation, tea can be categorized into three types: green (unfermented), oolong (partially fermented), and black (highly to fully fermented). In general, green tea has been found to be superior to black and oolong tea in terms of antioxidant and health promoting benefits owing to the higher content of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate. Tea polyphenols comprise about one-third of the weight of the dried leaf, and they exhibit biochemical and pharmacological activities including antioxidant activities, inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and modulation of carcinogen metabolism. Several studies demonstrate that most tea polyphenols exert their effects by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) since excessive production of ROS has been implicated in the development of a variety of ailments including cancer of the prostate gland (CaP). Using cell culture and animal model systems, molecular targets for these remarkable beneficial effects of green tea drinking on CaP prevention and therapy have been defined. Geographical and case-control studies are showing that green tea drinking could afford CaP chemopreventive effects in human population. In this review we attempt to summarize the experimental as well as the epidemiological basis for the possible role of tea and its polyphenols for chemoprevention and chemotherapy of CaP.     

Isolation of Green Tea Catechins and Their Utilization in the Food Industry

Tea is a rich source of catechins, which are well-known antioxidants. Tea consumption has been found to promote human health; however, only drinking tea may not provide a sufficient level of catechins to achieve health benefits. Thus, the utilization of catechins in foods is an alternative way to supplement catechin consumption. Furthermore, catechins can prevent lipid oxidation and improve color and flavour of foods; hence, addition of catechins can also prolong the shelflife of foods. Therefore, catechins have recently been isolated from green tea for utilization in food products to enhance their shelflife and health benefits. This article outlines several methods for the isolation of catechins from green tea, discusses the challenges involved, and reviews the utilisation of catechins in the food industry.     

Interactions of tea polyphenols with intestinal microbiota and their implication for anti-obesity

Tea polyphenols (TP) are the main components in tea. Studies in vitro have shown they have significant biological activity; however, the results are inconsistent with experiments in vivo. For the low bioavailability, most TP are thought to remain in the gut and metabolized by intestinal bacteria. In the gut, the unabsorbed TP are metabolized to a variety of derivative products by intestinal flora, which may accumulate to exert beneficial effects. Numerous studies have shown that TP can inhibit obesity and its related metabolism disorders effectively. Meanwhile, it has demonstrated that TP and their derivatives may modulate intestinal micro-ecology. The understanding of the interaction between TP and intestinal microbiota will allow us to better evaluate the contribution of microbial metabolites of TP to anti-obesity activity. This review showed implications for the use of TP as functional food with potential therapeutic utility against obesity by modulating intestinal microbiota, contributing to the improvement of human health. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Detection methods,migration patterns,and health effects of pesticide residues in tea

Due to its rich health benefits and unique cultural charm, tea drinking is increasingly popular with the public in modern society. The safety of tea is the top priority that affects the development of tea industry and the health of consumers. During the process of tea growth, pesticides are used to prevent the invasion of pests and diseases with maintaining high quality and stable yield. Because hot water brewing is the traditional way of tea consumption, water is the main carrier for pesticide residues in tea into human body accompanied by potential risks. In this review, pesticides used in tea gardens are divided into two categories according to their solubility, among which water-soluble pesticides pose a greater risk. We summarized the methods of the sample pretreatment and detection of pesticide residues and expounded the migration patterns and influencing factors of tea throughout the process of growth, processing, storage, and consumption. Moreover, the toxicity and safety of pesticide residues and diseases caused by human intake were analyzed. The risk assessment and traceability of pesticide residues in tea were carried out, and potential eco-friendly improvement strategies were proposed. The review is expected to provide a valuable reference for reducing risks of pesticide residues in tea and ensuring the safety of tea consumption.     

Preventive effects of black tea theaflavins against mouse type IV allergy

BACKGROUND: Tea (Camellia sinensis L.), one of the most popular beverages, contains various beneficial constituents. We investigated the preventive effects of black tea theaflavins, theaflavin‐3‐gallate (3‐TF) and theaflavin‐3,3′‐digallate (TFDG), on oxazolone‐induced type IV allergy in male ICR mice. RESULTS: Percutaneous administration of both 3‐TF and TFDG at 0.2 mg ear^?1 showed significant preventive effects against mouse type IV allergy. Oral administration of these agents at 50 mg kg^?1 body weight also showed significant preventive effects against mouse type IV allergy. Oral administration of 3‐TF and TFDG at a dose of 50 mg kg^?1 body weight prevented the increases in levels of some proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin‐12 (IL‐12), interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ), and tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), in the sera and/or ears of mice with type IV allergy. Lowering of serum antioxidant activity in mice with allergic symptoms was also prevented by oral administration of these theaflavins at a dose of 50 mg kg^?1 body weight. The anti‐allergic mechanisms of action of theaflavins involve inhibition of the fluctuations of cytokines and maintenance of antioxidant status in allergic mice. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the theaflavins as well as catechins contribute to the anti‐allergic effects of black tea. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

饮茶和食管癌关系的研究进展

茶是除水以外消耗最多的一种饮料,在日常生活中随处可见。茶多酚是茶叶中主要的活性成分之一,研究表明,茶多酚具有抗氧化、抗肿瘤等作用,可作为癌症的保护因素。而喜食烫食可能会损伤食管黏膜,使食道上皮细胞脱落、更新加快,从而增加食管癌的发病风险。关于饮茶与食管癌关系的研究至今还没有得到一致的结论。本文主要从茶的消耗量、茶的种类、饮茶温度3 方面对近年来茶和食管癌关系的研究进行综述,并对未来的研究重点进行展望。     

Heavy metal content of black teas consumed in Iran

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is the most widely consumed beverage in several parts of the world. Tea consumption is a major component of the traditional Iranian diet; however, limited data are available indicating heavy metals content of this beverage. This study aimed to assess concentrations of heavy metals, including copper, lead, cadmium, chromium and mercury as well as minerals like zinc and iron in black tea samples. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine the elements of interest in 20 brands of black tea that are widely consumed among Iranians. The mean concentrations were 28.8 for Zn, 135.2 for Fe, 15.9 for Cu and 8.2 for Cr (mg kg^?1) and 134.5 for Cd, 209.5 for Pb and 40 for Hg (µg kg^?1). It is concluded that tea consumption can be a possible source of some heavy metal intake for the Iranian population.     

Medicinal and therapeutic potentialities of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) – A review

The medicinal effects of tea have a history dating back almost 5000 years. The chemical components of green tea chiefly include polyphenols, caffeine and amino acids. Tea also contains flavonoids, compounds reported to have anti-oxidant properties having many beneficial effects. Tea flavonoids reduce inflammation, have antimicrobial effects and prevent tooth decay. Consumption of tea may have diuretic effects due to the caffeine. A related compound found in tea is theophylline, a licensed medicine for the treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma. Today’s computer-driven world can generate complicated lifestyle-related disorders and consumption of certain natural product like tea may very well replace the ill-effects of chemical drugs leading to a safer world with happier life. The paper is an overview of revealing all such ethno medicinal research efforts throughout the world over the times.     

茶叶中黄曲霉毒素的安全性风险研究进展

茶叶是世界上最流行的饮品之一,因其独特的风味和对人体有益的健康功能为人们所喜爱。茶叶在生长、采摘、加工、运输及储存过程中可能存在潜在的黄曲霉毒素污染,黄曲霉毒素是世界上已知毒性最大的真菌毒素,对人类健康存在极大威胁。黄曲霉毒素主要有四种常见的亚型,包括黄曲霉毒素B1,B2,G1,G2。其中黄曲霉毒素B1是毒性最大的黄曲霉毒素,被国际癌症研究机构列为Ⅰ类致癌物。因此评估茶叶中是否存在黄曲霉毒素及其安全性具有重要意义。本文系统地综述了黄曲霉毒素的理化性质、致病机理,以及茶叶中可能产黄曲霉毒素的微生物和黄曲霉毒素在茶叶中的检出情况等,并探讨茶叶中黄曲霉毒素的潜在风险,为茶叶中黄曲霉毒素的风险评估与防控提供支持。     

Determination of essential and non-essential elements in various tea leaves and tea infusions consumed in Turkey

Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Thus, the chemical components in tea are of great interest, especially in relation to health. In this study, 12 tea samples (10 black, 1 white and 1 green) and 5 herbal tea samples were purchased from supermarkets in Izmir, Turkey. Sample preparation has been performed using wet and microwave digestion procedures. The elemental content (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Na and K) in the digests and infusions has been analysed. Generally, elemental contents in tea leaves were found to be higher than those in tea infusions. The accuracy of the method was checked and confirmed by standard reference material analyses. The comparison of wet and microwave digestion has not shown significantly different results. Therefore, the microwave digestion procedure was preferred because it is less laborious. The elemental intake related to tea consumption has also been studied.     

茶叶中稀土元素的研究进展

稀土元素对茶树生长和茶叶品质有系列影响。茶树对轻稀土(La,Ce,Y和Nd等)具有较强的生物富集作用,茶树各部位稀土总量大小为:根茎老叶成熟叶叶柄芽头,其中茶树叶片中的稀土含量与其老嫩度呈显著的正相关。据报道,我国居民膳食摄入稀土含量均值为0.133 mg/d,而通过饮茶摄入稀土的含量估算为0~0.1129 mg/d,均远小于文献报道的稀土日允许摄入量(1.2~57.6 mg/d),稀土元素饮食暴露水平很低。目前,还没有稀土日允许摄入量的相关标准,但茶叶中稀土总量限量标准和粮食作物一样(2 mg/kg),茶叶不同于粮食作物,在限量的相关标准制订中应充分考虑茶叶的日消费量及稀土元素的水溶性。建议加强稀土食品安全的基础研究和系统性风险评估,以便为完善食品(茶叶)中稀土限量标准提供科学依据。     

A Review on Kombucha Tea—Microbiology,Composition, Fermentation,Beneficial Effects,Toxicity, and Tea Fungus

Fermentation of sugared tea with a symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria and yeast (tea fungus) yields kombucha tea which is consumed worldwide for its refreshing and beneficial properties on human health. Important progress has been made in the past decade concerning research findings on kombucha tea and reports claiming that drinking kombucha can prevent various types of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, promote liver functions, and stimulate the immune system. Considering the widespread reports on kombucha, we recognized the need to review and update the research conducted in relation to kombucha tea, its products and tea fungus. Existing reports have suggested that the protective effects of kombucha tea are as good as those of black tea, however, more studies on kombucha tea and its composition are needed before final conclusions can be made.     

A comprehensive review of polyphenol oxidase in tea (Camellia sinensis): Physiological characteristics,oxidation manufacturing,and biosynthesis of functional constituents

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is a metalloenzyme with a type III copper core that is abundant in nature. As one of the most essential enzymes in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), the further regulation of PPO is critical for enhancing defensive responses, cultivating high-quality germplasm resources of tea plants, and producing tea products that are both functional and sensory qualities. Due to their physiological and pharmacological values, the constituents from the oxidative polymerization of PPO in tea manufacturing may serve as functional foods to prevent and treat chronic non-communicable diseases. However, current knowledge of the utilization of PPO in the tea industry is only available from scattered sources, and a more comprehensive study is required to reveal the relationship between PPO and tea obviously. A more comprehensive review of the role of PPO in tea was reported for the first time, as its classification, catalytic mechanism, and utilization in modulating tea flavors, compositions, and nutrition, along with the relationships between PPO-mediated enzymatic reactions and the formation of functional constituents in tea, and the techniques for the modification and application of PPO based on modern enzymology and synthetic biology are summarized and suggested in this article.     

茶叶香气物质响应胁迫机制与功能研究进展

茶叶香气是茶叶感官评价和品质化描述的重要组成部分。茶叶在采前自然生长与采后加工阶段参与多种胁迫响应,这些胁迫因子能够促进香气化合物的形成、积累与释放,积累的香气物质一方面有利于茶叶香气品质的提升;另一方面则有利于茶树逆境防御机制的产生。本文综述了近年来茶叶香气物质在胁迫响应方面的研究进展,如食叶害虫取食、病原菌侵染等生物胁迫和环境因子、加工工艺等非生物胁迫对茶叶香气物质代谢的调控机制以及茶叶香气响应胁迫在实际生产中的应用价值,为改善茶叶香气品质和茶树病虫害防御提供理论依据。