Tea is the beverage of choice for cold and flu sufferers. It eases symptoms and warms the body, providing much needed comfort. The power of tea reaches far beyond its ability to sooth and comfort, according to recent studies.
At Pace University it was discovered that white tea extract could kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the body, more so than the extract of other teas. The study focused primarily on the bacteria that cause Staphylococcus infections, Streptococcus infections, pneumonia and dental cases. The same study concluded that fluoride-rich white tea helps prevent the growth of dental plaque, the chief cause of tooth decay.
"Past studies have shown that green tea stimulates the immune system to fight disease," says Milton Schiffenbauer, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor in the Department of Biology at Pace University's Dyson College of Arts & Sciences and primary author of the research. "Our research shows White Tea Extract can actually destroy in vitro the organisms that cause disease. Study after study with tea extract proves that it has many healing properties. This is not an old wives tale, it's a fact."
Another research study at Oregon State University in Corvallis found that consumption of white tea, which is made from immature tea leaves picked shortly before the buds have fully opened, might provide protection against colon cancer. The study suggests that white tea can be just as effective as use of the prescription drug Sulindac in preventing colon tumors in a certain type of laboratory mouse that is genetically predisposed to cancer.
As white tea is left so close to its' natural state, means that white tea contains more polyphenols, the powerful anti-oxidant that fights and kills cancer-causing cells, than any other type of tea. White tea also contains much less caffeine per cup than green, oolong, or black tea.
As research continues to show that teas exert significant protective effects, and aids the body's immune system against a myriad of diseases and bacteria, it is important to note that the polyphenols in white tea have also been show to lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and fight fatigue. For all the health benefits that white tea provides, it is a great addition to anyone's preventative health routine.