Green tea can slow down the growth of cancer cells. Is this true? Let us find out what exactly happens. New research has shown that if you regularly consume green tea, you can fight against Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementias. It also lowers growth of cancer cells.
Darjeeling Green tea blends have certain protective properties in its freshly brewed, undigested form. However, in Newcastle University of UK, a research team has set out to find out whether these protective properties remain active eve after digestion. The result of the study says these properties work after digestion too.
Ed Okello, one of the members of the research team at Newcastle, says,
“What was really exciting about this study was that we found when green tea is digested by enzymes in the gut, the resulting chemicals are actually more effective against key triggers of Alzheimer’s development than the undigested form of the tea. In addition to this, we also found the digested compounds had anti-cancer properties, significantly slowing down the growth of tumor cells which we were using in our experiments.”
Compounds helping in Developing Alzheimer’s
There are two compounds namely, beta-amyloid, a protein and hydrogen peroxide, that play a key role in developing Alzheimer’s.
Polyphenols in black and green tea have certain neuro-protective properties that combine with toxic compounds and protect brain cells. These polyphenols break down into a mixture of different compounds when ingested. We will now find out how important the role of digestion is.
Digestion and Its Role in Preventing Disease
Researchers have found out that there are cells quite similar to that of neurons but they have varying toxin concentrations and digested form of tea compounds. There are also chemicals from digested tea that protect cells and prevent their destruction by toxins. These chemicals also affect cancel cells and slow down their growth.
Researchers are of the opinion that polyphenols in green tea have protective properties. Green blends are effective against cancer and can also reduce the risk of prostate cancer for men.
Green tea directly affects the root of Alzheimer’s disease with the help of three mechanisms –
- Prevents formation of amyloid plague
- Breaks down existing plaques
- Creates critical neurons in brain