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For centuries green tea has held on strong to its reputation as an effective and trustworthy beverage packed with health benefits.

Now, NewCastle University researchers have found new evidence that green tea can shield the brain against Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

In addition, the golden liquid the Chinese drink in copious amounts has also been credited with lowering the risk of certain cancers.

Although previous studies suggest that chemicals found in green tea can prevent a wide variety of ailments, the new study focused on whether the protective properties were still active after the beverage was digested.

Lead author of the study Dr Ed Okello, from university's School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development stated,
"There are certain chemicals we know to be beneficial and we can identify foods which are rich in them but what happens during the digestion process is crucial to whether these foods are actually doing us any good."
The lab experiment

In a bid to assess whether green tea possesses neuroprotective properties after digestion, the researchers carried out experiments in the lab using a tumor cell model.

The scientists exposed CAGTE, a component of green tea, once it had been digested, to determine how it affected hydrogen peroxide and a protein known as beta-amyloid that plays a key role in the development of dementia.

Revelations of the study

The findings revealed that high concentrations of CAGTE protected the cells from the toxic effects of the protein amyloid-beta.

Okello stated,
"What was really exciting about this study was that we found when green tea is digested by enzymes in the gut, the resulting chemicals are actually more effective against key triggers of Alzheimer's development than the undigested form of the tea.

"In addition to this, we also found the digested compounds had anti-cancer properties, significantly slowing down the growth of the tumor cells, which we were using in our experiments."
A word of caution

However, Okello warns that drinking green tea is not a magic bullet for warding off cancer and degenerative brain conditions.

He stated, "There are obviously many factors which together have an influence on diseases such as cancer and dementia - a good diet, plenty of exercise and a healthy lifestyle are all important.

"But I think it's fair to say that at least one cup of green tea every day may be good for you and I would certainly recommend it."

The study was sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

The findings are published in the journal Phytomedicine.

Other health benefits of green tea

Green tea is known to heal and prevent processes that cater to diseases like cancer, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, infections, impaired immune functions, and cardiovascular diseases.

The benefits of green tea also involve improving the cholesterol rate in the body and hindering the formation of blood clots in wounds.

Also, green tea cleanses the body of toxins that usually lead to a lot of health problems. It provides a wondrous feeling of relaxation and energy.