New support for tea's heart-y benefits.In the generation of heart disease, the oxidative transformation of cholesterol-carrying low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in the blood leads to the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. Two years ago, Dutch scientists found evidence that tea drinking protects against heart disease, a result they tentatively attributed to the antioxidant antioxidant, substance that prevents or slows the breakdown of another substance by oxygen. Synthetic and natural antioxidants are used to slow the deterioration of gasoline and rubber, and such antioxidants as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), butylated hydroxytoluene properties of pigments and other polyphenols in the brew (SN: 10/30/93, p.278). While not all antioxidants Antioxidants Substances that reduce the damage of the highly reactive free radicals that are the byproducts of the cells. Mentioned in: Aging, Nutritional Supplements antioxidants, n. effectively thwart LDL LDL - ["LDL: A Logic-Based Data-Language", S. Tsur et al, Proc VLDB 1986, Kyoto Japan, Aug 1986, pp.33-41]. oxidation, researchers at the University of Scranton The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. now show that the polyphenols prevalent in tea do it especially well. In the just-released November Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Joe A. Vinson and his colleagues report that in their test-tube studies of 39 food-derived antioxidants-representing eight classes of chemicals, from vitamins and flavones to anthocyanins-the polyphenols from tea proved the most potent inhibitors of LDL oxidation. Indeed, one tea compound showed 20 times the efficacy of vitamin C vitamin C or ascorbic acid Water-soluble organic compound important in animal metabolism. Most animals produce it in their bodies, but humans, other primates, and guinea pigs need it in the diet to prevent scurvy. , the most potent antioxidant vitamin. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion