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Drinking Tea Can Cause Genetic Changes in Your Body

Posted on June 2nd, 2017 · American Breakfast Fast Food Music/Events/Other

* Drinking Tea Can Cause Genetic Changes in Your Body.

Read this article on yahoo.com this morning.

Thought I’d pass it on to you guys…

___________

Yahoo Beauty Korin Miller
Writer
Yahoo BeautyJune 1, 2017
In the battle of coffee versus tea, the latter has come in second for years in the United States. But new research suggests that people might want to give tea another look, as there’s new evidence that it can actually influence your genes.

Drinking tea specifically causes epigenetic changes (chemical modifications that turn our genes off or on) in women, according to a study from Uppsala University that was published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.

For the study, researchers looked at DNA methylation, a gene signaling tool that can put genes in the “off” position. DNA methylation is linked with suppressing tumor growth and decreasing bodily inflammation, and scientists wanted to determine how much drinking tea and coffee has to do with it. To figure out the link, researchers took blood samples from more than 3,000 people and analyzed them for DNA methylation.

Here’s what they discovered: DNA methylation took place in women who were tea drinkers, specifically in genes that are known to interact with cancer and estrogen metabolism. (Research has linked poor estrogen metabolism with an increased risk of breast cancer.) The same effect wasn’t found in men or in people who drank coffee.

While it sounds like good news, study co-author L.H. Lumey, MD, from Columbia University, tells Yahoo Beauty that the findings are “very preliminary.” Researchers also don’t say in the paper whether this is a good or bad thing, but they point out that the methylation finding could indicate that certain components in tea have the potential to be useful in the future. However, they add, “further research is needed to understand how epigenetic changes found in this study affects our health.”

Women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, MD, tells Yahoo Beauty that she’s not surprised by the findings. “It has long been established that our food choices and compounds in different foods can have an impact on modifying disease risk,” she says.

Tea is often considered secondary to coffee in the U.S., but data from the U.S. Tea Association found that Americans drank almost 84 billion servings of tea in 2016. About 80 percent of all tea consumed was black tea, 16 percent was green tea, and the remaining amount was oolong, white, and dark tea — and the vast majority of Americans prefer their tea iced.

While the study’s researchers didn’t have any definitive conclusions, Wider points out that tea has some known benefits. Teas have antioxidant properties, contain less caffeine than coffee, and have compounds called flavonoids that have been linked to a lowered risk of heart attack and stroke. The National Cancer Institute also points out that the predominant polyphenols in green tea — EGCG, EGC, ECG, and EC — and certain elements in black tea known as theaflavins and thearubigins have antioxidant activity that may help fight tumor growth. Certified dietitian-nutritionist Lisa Moskovitz, CEO of NY Nutrition Group, tells Yahoo Beauty that tea can also protect against free radical damage and oxidative stress, promote healthy metabolism, and fight bodily inflammation.

Gina Keatley, a certified dietitian-nutritionist practicing in New York City, tells Yahoo Beauty that science definitely makes a case for drinking tea. “Given all of the positive research on tea, it may be beneficial to include tea in your routine,” she says. But, of course, drinking tea alone won’t help ward off disease, which is why Keatley recommends having other healthy lifestyle factors as well. “Without a generally healthy diet and exercise [routine], drinking tea may not be effective,” she says. Moskovitz agrees. “Tea can be a great addition to anyone’s diet, and is often a good replacement for other sources of caffeine,” she says. “However, nothing replaces a balanced diet and regular exercise when it comes to disease prevention and optimal health.”

So, if you’re wondering what to drink on a hot summer day, it can’t hurt to reach for an iced tea. Not only will it help refresh you — it could have a positive impact on your health.

3 Comments to “Drinking Tea Can Cause Genetic Changes in Your Body”

  1. Ellen G says...

    Jeff,
    You have a great site going.
    Not only do you chat about greasy spoon joints but you talk about other topics that people really enjoy.
    There really is no other food/entertainment blog out there quite like Jeff Eats.
    Here’s another recent tea article.

    Keep up the fabulous blog.

    Ellen G

    9 Amazing Beauty Benefits Of Tea
    By Dana Oliver
    As the temps turn colder, we’re exchanging our iced coffees for herbal teas. Sipping on the hot drink instantly brings a sense of calm to a hectic day. But did you know that you could brew a cup of tea for homemade beauty recipes?

    Teas, including green, black and red, have been used to improve the overall health and appearance of skin and hair for centuries. Rich in antioxidants and anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties, tea is one of the most powerful grocery store staples that can be used topically. Here are nine amazing beauty benefits of tea.

    1. Adds shine to dull, lackluster hair. A hair rinse using green or black tea will boost brassy and blah strands. Simply steep tea bags in boiling water for 15 minutes and allow to cool for a few hours or overnight. Pour it onto freshly-washed hair and leave on for ten minutes. Be sure to shampoo and condition afterwards to seal in the shine.

    2. Soothes sunburns. Missed a spot with the sunscreen and ended up with a sunburn? Cold compresses made out of tea bags can relieve pain and reduce redness. The girls over at The Beauty Department have this guide to using black tea bags and old T-shirts to treat sunburns.

    3. Minimizes bug bites. We love laying out in the grass, but we sure hate mosquito bites. To take down the sting and bumps, apply a used cold chamomile tea bag directly to the area and relax.

    4. Reduces puffy eyes and dark under-eye circles. Another reason not to toss out your used bags of Earl Grey. One of the many beauties we met on the streets of New York City swears by this cheap puffy eye treatment. The caffeine helps to shrink blood vessels underneath the skin and eliminate darkness around the eye area.

    tea beauty benefits

    5. Rids smelly feet odor. Stanky feet and Chanel No. 5 just don’t mix. Instead, strip off your shoes and socks and soak your feet in a cool solution made out of boiled tea. The tannic acid in tea is both antibacterial and antifungal, so it stops feet from sweating and smelling funky.

    6. Tones and moisturizes dry skin. Spritz cool green tea onto your face (you can also apply it with a cotton ball) twice a day to draw out impurities, shrink large pores and get a healthy glow.

    7. Calms skin after shaving. If your legs are itchy and red after shaving, try pressing a cool black tea bag onto your limbs. The tannins work to provide immediate relief from razor burns.

    8. Enhances hair color. If you’re looking for a chemical-free alternative to dyeing your hair, try using tea. Its staining properties add color to naturally blonde or brunette locks. Holistic Chick breaks down which teas have the best color payoff.

    9. Helps to tan skin. Similar to “coloring” hair, rubbing your body with a sponge soaked in black tea or submerging yourself in a tub full of it will enhance tanned skin. Warning: This can get a little sticky and streaky.

    Is tea a staple in your beauty routine? Spill the deets!

    Tea and your health are linked, too:

    Health Benefits Of Tea
    Want more HuffPost Style beauty content? Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostBeauty. (For everything else check out our main HuffPost Style Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram @HuffPostStyle.)
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  2. Murray Strauss says...

    Thanks Jeff and Ellen G!

  3. Lo Lo says...

    I’ll stick with coffee.
    Never liked tea.

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