Tea and cancer Scientists in Japan, China and USA have been conducting studies to examine if tea or tea flavonoids might help prevent cancer. To date, over 50 animal studies have been published, suggesting tea is beneficial, especially for cancers of the skin, stomach and lung. At the Saitama Cancer Centre, a 10-year follow up study identified 175 female and 244 male cancer patients from a prospective cohort study involving 8522 people. Using this data, they found the first evidence that the onset of cancer in patients who had consumed over 10 cups of green tea a day was 7.3 years later among females and 3.2 years later among males, compared with patients who consumed under three cups a day. Green Green tea is the simplest form of tea.
Tea leaves are simply steamed soon after harvesting to prevent oxidation.
The leaves remain green and the flavour is light and refreshing. Green tea comprises around 20 per cent of all tea consumed in the world. In this process, some of the simpler catechins of green tea are combined and converted into polymerised forms called theaflavins and thearubigens, which give tea its astringency and rich dark colour. Black tea is the major form of tea in the world, accounting for 78 per cent of all tea drunk. Oolong Has been partially oxidised, resulting in a delicate light fruity flavour.