A cup of green tea a day may be able to keep cancer and Alzheimer’s away say the researchers from the Newcastle University team. The benefits of green tea have always been known, but its ability to fight dementia has been proved quite conclusively now. The loss of mental agility in elders affected by Alzheimer’s could actually be overcome by drinking a cup of green tea, that too only once a day. The study results published in Phytomedicine journal also stressed the fact that the benefits of green tea could include having a protective role against cancer while drinking green tea could help ward off dementia.

Ed Okello, the leader of the research team also found out that the protective functions present in a freshly prepared cup of green tea could actually be magnified when it comes in contact with the digestive enzymes of our body.  The tea, when digested could fight effectively against the dementia inducing elements that are released in a patient suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. It also has the ability to inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors explained Dr. Okello.

The procedure of digestion was studied in details during the course of the study. It was done by simulating the process of digestion that takes place in our body. Dr Gordon McDougall associated with the Plant Products and Food Quality Group of Dundee, Scotland helped with the procedure.

Beta amyloid and hydrogen peroxide are the key compounds that play a significant role in the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. The benefits of green tea have been attributed to the polyphenols present within them which bind the harmful toxins thus protecting the brain cells.

The experiments were carried out by exposing the tumor cell models to various stages of the ingested green tea. The results revealed how the toxins were destroyed completely by the tea chemicals, which had a significant effect over the cancerous cells and succeeded in slowing them down.

The traditional Chinese medicine recommends drinking green tea, but the scientific reason behind it has come to light now said the researchers. The next responsibility of the researchers would be to test the effect of digested green tea on healthy human beings revealed Dr. Okello emphasizing that a cup of green tea a day can succeed in keeping the doctor away!

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