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Tuesday December 28, 5:20 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Tea Council of the USA
Tea Highlighted as One of The Best Foods for a
Healthy New Millenium; Americans Celebrate During National Hot
Tea Month
NEW YORK, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Some
fancy a smooth, relaxing, steaming cup of brewed tea, others a
cold, refreshing glass of iced tea, but regardless of how it is
served, tea is fast becoming the preferred beverage of many. Now,
tea lovers can feel better than ever about consuming their
favorite drink. Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, FACN, chief of the
Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University, has
identified tea as one of the top healthy foods for the new year,
the new millenium and beyond, and people across the country are
celebrating during National Hot Tea Month.
``This January is the perfect time to consider tea as part of a
healthy diet. As a new year and new millenium begin, people are
making resolutions to eat and live healthier, and there's no
better time to celebrate tea's healthy attributes than National
Hot Tea Month,'' said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Council
of the USA.
Scientists have found that tea contains antioxidants, substances
that can reduce oxidative damage in the body, helping to maintain
healthy cells and tissues. The latest epidemiological research
suggests that drinking black tea may reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease. Of particular interest are two studies
that were published this year:
* A recent study examined 340 men and women who had suffered heart
attacks and found that those who drank a cup or more of black tea daily
had a 44 percent reduction in heart attack risk compared to non-tea
drinkers. The study was conducted by Dr. Howard Sesso et al. at
Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and
published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in January.
* In a study by Dutch researchers, participants who drank one to two cups
of black tea daily had a 46 percent lower risk of severe aortic
atherosclerosis, one factor contributing to cardiovascular disease.
Those who drank more than four cups of tea a day had a 69 percent lower
risk. The study, published in October in the Archives of Internal
Medicine, examined the association of tea intake and the severity of
aortic atherosclerosis in 3,454 subjects who were free of
cardiovascular disease at the time of baseline.
Earlier epidemiological and laboratory studies
suggest a relationship between tea consumption and reduced risk
of several types of cancer, including oral, digestive, lung and
colorectal, and that tea has greater antioxidant power in vitro
than many fruits and vegetables.
``It's no longer a matter of considering just the vitamin and
mineral content of our diets. People now need to recognize that
foods and beverages can contribute important phytonutrients like
the antioxidant flavonoids,'' said Dr. Blumberg. ``Flavonoid-rich
and virtually calorie-free, tea is an ideal choice for those
looking for a delicious drink that fits perfectly into a healthy
diet.'' Other foods and food components on Dr. Blumberg's list
include whole grains, brightly colored fruits and vegetables, soy
products, omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish like salmon
and tuna) and red wine.
CONTACT: Melissa McAllister, Elizabeth Mankin
Aronow & Pollock Communications, Inc.
524 Broadway, Third Floor
New York, NY 10012
212-941-1414
SOURCE: Tea Council of the USA
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