The type of tea that Vietnamese people love can prevent 8 types of cancer.

The work was carried out by many units under Jinan University and Macau University of Science and Technology (China), and has just been published in the medical journal Nutrients.

The cancer-preventing "superfood" the authors identified is black tea, the most commonly used tea in Asia, including Vietnam, which is made through a special fermentation process.

Loại trà người Việt ưa chuộng chống được 8 loại ung thư - Ảnh 1.

Dark black tea with its characteristic astringent taste is very good in preventing and controlling many cancers - Illustration photo from the Internet

Black tea contains many bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, theabrownin, tea polysaccharides..., which have been reported to have health benefits. In the new study, the authors examined the potential of black tea in preventing and controlling cancer.

In addition, they also studied the mechanisms related to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, even inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, inhibiting metastasis...

Detailed analysis has revealed some surprising “miracle drugs” hidden in the cup of tea. First, water-soluble polysaccharides isolated from a black tea commonly consumed in China’s Hunan province have shown remarkable effects in inhibiting the growth of two types of lung and liver cancer cells.

Meanwhile, theabrownin inhibited another lung cancer cell line in a test tube and also in vivo in a subsequent test.

A derivative called epigallocatechin gallate isolated from a famous black tea from Anhua County, Hunan Province, even caused lung cancer cells to self-destruct; while caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine inhibited the growth of breast and cervical cancer cells.

Extracts from another Tibetan black tea inhibited proliferation in the human liver cancer cell line HepG2; another tea prevented oral mucosal cancer in mice...

In addition, most black tea extracts inhibit the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells, colon carcinoma, and bladder cancer.

The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects of black tea also help ward off other serious health problems including obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease (which increases the risk of heart attack).

With these results, the research team recommends that black tea should be considered as a dietary supplement for cancer prevention and control.

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