LONGEVITY is determined by a host of factors, but warding off disease offers the most logical approach to lengthening lifespan. Fortunately, many of the ingredients found in nature have protective qualities known to stave off illness. One hot beverage may have life-prolonging effects by reducing cholesterol and starving cancer cells.
The growing threat of cancer has intensified pressure on health services to get back on their feet after Covid disruptions threw them into chaos. Fortunately, certain foods can shield against multiple diseases. For instance, some antioxidants found in green tea have demonstrated protective effects against cancer. One variety of green tea, known as Matcha, may deliver more significant results.
Matcha tea is a type of powdered green tea very high in antioxidants that has many benefits for both the body and brain.
In research conducted by the Biomedical Research Centre at the University of Salford, researchers found that matcha tea significantly reduced the proliferation rates of cancer cells.
The results were gathered from a series of tests using metabolic phenotyping on the cell lines of breast cancer.
Professor of Translational Medicine, Doctor Michael Lisanti, explained: “Matcha green tea is a natural product used as a dietary supplement with great potential for a range of treatments.
“But, the molecular mechanism underpinning all that remains largely unknown.
“By using metabolic phenotyping we found that the tea is suppressing oxidative mitochondrial metabolism – in other words, it is preventing the cells from ‘re-fuelling’ and therefore they become interactive and die.
The effects on human breast cancer cells were very striking; the active ingredients in Matcha had a surgical effect in knocking out certain signalling pathways.
“Our results are consistent with the idea that Matcha may have significant therapeutic potential, mediating the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells.”
Research shows that by supporting the immune system, green tea has life-prolonging qualities.
This is mainly because the therapeutic potential of green tea for cancer cells has been seen with a host of other diseases too.
Its powerful antioxidants can help ward off a host of diseases including heart disease, osteoporosis and other chronic illnesses.
One condition seen to benefit hugely from matcha tea is high cholesterol.
High cholesterol
Matcha tea is a unique source of catechin, a powerful antioxidant that flaunts wide-ranging health benefits.
Studies have shown that these molecules could lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease significantly.
One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that in addition to lowering overall cholesterol levels, green tea catechins specifically lowered LDL cholesterol.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, was performed on rats.
Researchers noted that: “The results demonstrate that tea catechin exerts a hypocholesterolemic effect in cholesterol-fed rats.”
When analysing these processes more deeply, researchers found catechins inhibit cholesterol absorption in the small intestine.
Other findings have suggested that the antioxidant decreases concentrations of LDL by up-regulating LDL receptors.
Express.co.uk
