Medicinal properties of tea

Why in ancient times was tea called "a cure for a host of diseases"?

Thanks to these and other properties, tea is an excellent health drink. In ancient times, it was considered a miracle cure. The Book of the Sui Dynasty (6th-7th centuries AD) tells the story of the Sui Emperor Wen Di, whose suffering could not be alleviated by any medicine. Eventually, the emperor resorted to tea and was completely cured. Chen Cangqi, a physician of the Tang Dynasty (7th-9th centuries AD) praised tea as a "cure for a host of diseases." He wrote: tea "... quenches thirst and drives out diseases. How valuable is tea! ... Each medicine is for its own disease, and tea is a cure for a host of diseases." According to legend, in China, the birthplace of tea, it was used as a medicine four thousand years ago, when tea was still a wild plant. Later, people began to "make decoction drinks", and tea gradually began to transform from a medicine into a healing drink. The art of cultivating the tea bush, or, as they say in China, the tea tree, gradually improved, and knowledge about the beneficial effects of tea on the body accumulated. Gu Yuan-qing, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 centuries AD) in his "Tea Registry" describes in detail: "can quench thirst, digests food and eliminates inflammation, shortens sleep and opens the way for urine, clears vision and is beneficial for thinking, eliminates nervousness and drives out boredom." Modern scientists confirm the multifaceted preventive and therapeutic effects of tea on the body. In Japan, tea is generally regarded as "cinnabar of spirituality and medicine of wisdom", healing diseases and prolonging life.

What does tea cure?

In addition to the fact that tea is easy to prepare, economical and hygienic, it removes radioactive elements from the body and is rich in many nutrients that prolong life. According to scientists, tea leaves contain about three hundred ingredients, including proteins, fats, more than 10 types of vitamins, as well as tea phenol, theine and lipid sugars. Therefore, tea nourishes the body, regulates physiological processes and has a general health effect. Tea is especially useful for middle-aged and elderly people.
Tea owes its reputation as a longevity drink to vitamins C, E, D, nicotinic acid and iodine. Phenols contained in tea leaves absorb radioactive substances, removing even strontium-90 deposited in bones from the body. According to research, 1-3% of tannin in the stomach removes 30-40% of strontium from the body with feces. Therefore, tea is indispensable in the difficult environmental situation of our time. Theine dilates blood vessels, activates oxygen metabolism and improves muscle tone without increasing the pulse rate and blood pressure. Tea also has a diaphoretic and diuretic effect, stimulates the kidneys, strengthens the heart and stomach, and helps remove toxins. Theine in combination with tea phenol prevents an increase in cholesterol levels in the body, and therefore tea can be used to prevent myocardial infarction. Tea phenol, like vitamin D, also promotes good vascular patency.
Due to the above-described action, tea has a beneficial effect on hematopoiesis, strengthens muscles and bones, and supports thyroid function. The healing effect of tea is especially pronounced in middle age, when a person often, as they say, "gets kinder." Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and malignant neoplasms, and theine and other tea components serve as a good preventive measure for the listed diseases. In addition, tea invigorates, removes fatigue, and has a bactericidal effect, so in middle age it is recommended to increase tea consumption.

The beneficial effects of tea are summarized in the following 15 points:
"Tea invigorates the spirit, increases brain activity, improves memory.
"Tea relieves fatigue, stimulates metabolism, normalizes the activity of the heart, blood vessels, and digestive system.
"Tea effectively prevents caries. According to the results of studies conducted in England, children who regularly drink tea have a 60% lower incidence of caries.
"Tea is rich in useful microelements.
"Tea suppresses the growth of malignant tumors and significantly reduces the risk of cells degenerating into cancer.
"Tea contains zinc, which is essential for pregnant women.
"Tea slows down the aging process of cells and therefore promotes longevity. Tea leaves have a rejuvenating effect 18 times greater than that of vitamin E.
"Tea slows down the formation of fatty deposits on the inner surface of blood vessels, thus reducing the likelihood of sclerosis, hypertension and cerebral blood clots.
"Tea stimulates the central nervous system and increases joint mobility.
" Tea is good for weight loss and improves skin condition. Oolong teas (Black Dragon) have a particularly noticeable effect.
"Tea can be used to prevent cataracts.
"Tea tannin kills many bacteria, and therefore prevents stomatitis, tonsillitis, enteritis and other intestinal infections.
"Tea supports the body's hematopoietic function. Tea also contains substances that neutralize harmful radiation, so drinking tea in front of the TV protects against radiation and preserves vision.
"Tea maintains the acid-base balance of the blood due to the content of such alkaloids as caffeine, theophylline, theobromine. Tea is quickly absorbed in the body, resulting in the formation of substances in a concentration sufficient for the timely neutralization of acid waste entering the blood.
"Tea has a cooling effect. A few minutes after a cup of hot tea, the skin temperature drops by 1-2 ° C, which gives a feeling of coolness and freshness. With cold tea, this effect is not observed.

How many varieties and types of tea are there in China? How do they affect health?

It is not for nothing that China is called the "tea king". As a result of long-term tea cultivation, more than 350 types of tea bushes have been bred, and the number of tea varieties currently produced already exceeds a thousand.

Based on the processing method, Chinese teas can be divided into the following categories:

"Fermented tea.
"Semi-fermented tea.
"Unfermented tea.
"Teas made from unrolled leaves and young buds. The tender tips and full buds are picked from the bushes in early spring, when the temperature is still low, and dried outdoors in a cool breeze.
"Teas that are softened by steam and then pressed. They are made from coarse, tough leaves that are heated by steam and pressed. They are intended mainly for ease of transportation to remote areas and are designed for long-term storage.
"Teas with the addition of natural fragrant flowers.

This classification helps to make some sense of the sea of teas, but only if you remember that it is often used in conjunction with other classifications:
by tea bush variety: Gua-pian (Melon slice), Da-fang (Large square), Mao-jian (Hairy tips), Mao-feng (Hairy peaks);
by the final shape of the tea leaves: Chang-chao-qing (young, dried long), Yuan-chao (dried round), Pian-chao-qing (young, dried flat), Zhu cha (pearls);
by place of production: Xihu Longjing (Dragon Well of Lake Xihu), Dujun Maojian (Dujun Hairy Tips), Wuyiyan Cha (Wuyi Cliff Tea);

Teas of different varieties vary greatly in composition and, as a consequence, in their effect on the body. Thus, in lu cha (green tea), the content of vitamin C and tea phenol is much higher than in hong cha (red tea), and due to this, green tea has a much more pronounced antibacterial, antiradiation and antisclerotic effect, it is more effective in lowering blood sugar levels and improving blood composition. Since flower teas (hua cha) are made on the basis of green tea, they have the same medicinal properties as green tea. But for older people, especially those suffering from constipation, strong green tea can be harmful, as it has a constipating effect. On the other hand, red tea strengthens the stomach and is a good diuretic. Therefore, red tea is indispensable in old age.
From the above, it is clear that the choice of tea should be approached individually. In general, experts recommend that children and teenagers drink weakly brewed tea, as well as rinse their mouths with tea. Green tea is especially useful during adolescence, and red tea should never be brewed strongly. At this time, teenagers have a very unstable psyche, and therefore flower tea is good for them. It cleanses the liver and removes toxins, thereby normalizing physiological processes, and also helps to establish a regular menstrual cycle in young girls. Flower tea is also useful for men suffering from prostatitis. Red tea with yellow sugar is useful for women after childbirth. Tea with mint is good for people with stomach diseases, and flower tea is good for those suffering from liver diseases. Those who do physical labor should drink red tea, and it is better for mental workers to drink green tea. For those who want to lose weight, Oolong and Puer are ideal. The Japanese generally call Oolong tea "a magic medicine for beauty and health." French women call Yunnan Puer "the enemy of fat", "slimming tea". Shu Puer does not irritate the gastric mucosa, and oolong tea, in addition, has a diuretic effect. Since the caffeine content in these teas is low, they are not contraindicated for anyone.

What explains the anti-cancer effect of tea? Which types of tea are best for cancer prevention?

Among modern long-livers and elderly people with robust health, there are many passionate tea lovers. This group, among other things, is characterized by a high proportion of men and a low risk of cancer. Research into the lifestyle of fifty-sixty-year-olds has shown that tea is an effective means of cancer prevention. Research on this topic is actively conducted in China, Japan, America, England, France, Russia, Canada, Turkey, and South Korea.
It has recently been found that green, pressed, flower, oolong and red teas prevent the formation and neutralize the action of nitroso compounds, which are powerful carcinogens. In tea stored for about a year, this ability decreases by only 10%. At room temperature, this ability drops significantly in the first three hours after brewing, and in the next 24 hours it decreases by only 15-34%. Medical studies show that 1 gram of tea, poured three times with 150 gram portions of water, gives a partial inhibiting effect, and 3-5 grams completely neutralize nitroso compounds. In animal experiments, a significant slowdown in the growth of tumors in the digestive tract of rats was noted, especially pronounced for Fujian tea, Tie Guan Yin tea, Hainan green tea, Hong Sui Cha and Chao Qing tea from Hangzhou.
And yet, scientists believe that green tea holds the lead in this area. Since 1986, the Chinese Medical Institute of Prevention and the Research Institute of Food and Hygiene have been conducting studies on the anti-cancer properties of various tea varieties. The average coefficient of resistance to the formation of nitroso compounds is 65%, but if for red tea it is 43%, then for green tea it averages 82%, and for some varieties of green tea it exceeds 85%.
Green tea generally ranks among the top foods with anti-cancer properties. In a study of the anti-cancer properties of 108 different products conducted by the Chinese Medical Oncology Research Institute, it was green tea that showed the most pronounced effect, leaving behind red tea, wood mushrooms xiang-gu, hou-tou and ling-zhi, and golden beans. What explains the pronounced anti-cancer effect of tea? Most experts point to the high content of tea phenol, reaching 20%, the main components of which are various theines. Theines slow down the oxidation process and, due to this, can prevent the formation of carcinogenic substances in the body, kill cancer cells and suppress their growth. In addition to tea phenol, tea contains a lot of vitamins C and E, lipid sugars, it also contains a small amount of zinc and selenium. Apparently, the anti-cancer properties of tea are caused by a combination of all these substances with tea phenol. According to the latest research, green tea, especially elite varieties, gives the best results. It is recommended to take 3 grams for two pourings of 150 grams of water, some time after a meal. This amount of tea contains the optimal daily dose of tea phenol - 500 milligrams.

Does tea promote longevity?

It is said that during the reign of Dazhong "Great Middle Ages" of the Tang Dynasty (7th-9th centuries AD), a 130-year-old monk arrived from the eastern capital, Luoyang. Emperor Xuanzong, seeing the monk's cheerfulness and strength, asked: "What kind of miraculous medicine allows you to enjoy life for so long?" The monk, laughing, answered: "I am from a poor family, and have never taken medicine in my life. I just love tea very much." Xuanzong then gave him the Buddhist name Cha-u-shi-jin "50 jins of tea" and settled him in the Longevity Monastery.
The revolutionary of the old generation, Zhu De, having tasted the Yun-wu "cloud curtain" tea in the Lushan Mountains, immediately took up his pen at the table and wrote a poem with the following lines: "Cloud curtain tea from the Lushan Mountains / with a thick taste and life-giving effect - / is like a drink of immortality. / It is the way to gain longevity." Zhu De lived to be 90 years old. The tea also brought him health and longevity.
Tea prevents the development of many chronic diseases, since regular tea consumption maintains a stable level of amino acids and vitamins, which is especially important in old age. Tea is rich in minerals, and those that are not often found in other foods: copper, fluorine, iron, manganese, zinc, calcium, and older people often lack these minerals. We should not forget about such medicinal components as caffeine, tannin, vitamin P. Caffeine is an excellent vasodilator, it accelerates breathing and increases muscle mobility, without increasing the heart rate or raising blood pressure. The combined effect of caffeine and tannin prevents an increase in cholesterol levels, and due to this, tea prevents the development of heart disease and coronary artery disease. In addition, tea improves the protective functions of cells, has a pronounced anti-cancer effect, prevents the formation of fat clots and can increase the temperature of T-shaped lymph cells. Caffeine and catechin have a strong antioxidant effect, and tannin is responsible for the astringent, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects.
The Chinese News of Hygiene published the results of experiments conducted by a small research group from a specialized institute of military air medicine. These experiments examined the effects of commercially available red, flower, and green teas on the lifespan of test animals. All of these teas not only halved mortality and extended the lifespan of the animals, but also significantly increased the activity level of the older animals. The best results were obtained with red tea.
Japanese researchers have found that tannin, which is contained in tea leaves, slows down tissue aging much more effectively than vitamin E. An extract of white rat liver cells was placed in a solution that promotes oxidation. When 5 milligrams of vitamin E were added to one liter of the solution, fat oxidation decreased by 4%, and 5 milligrams of tannin slowed down the oxidation process by 74%, that is, more than 18 times compared to vitamin E.
Thus, regular consumption (but not abuse) of tea undoubtedly delays the onset of old age. If you add other health-promoting agents to tea, you can achieve even more amazing results. Many such recipes, in which tea is combined with various medicinal substances, have been developed throughout the long history of Chinese medicine. In most of them, tea is supplemented with strengthening and nourishing substances of a sweet taste and neutral nature, which have a beneficial effect on the liver and kidneys, blood and qi, regulate the yin-yang balance, preserve the seed and nourish the spirit, and increase intelligence. When translated into the language of modern medicine, the above-described effects correspond to an increase in the production of antibodies and an improvement in the functioning of the immune system, and this is directly related to the slowing down of the aging process.

Center of Eastern Culture "Nalanda"