Feature: WHICH IS HEALTHIER: TEA OF WATER? By Tony Ryanto

Jakarta, Oct 15 (ANTARA) - Most of us will definitely say water because plain water without ice or sugar is generally recommended by doctors the world over.

The latest fad that made Japanese go gaga starting mid 2008, namely the banana morning diet, only recommends room temperature water. No cold, hot or warm water.

But a study by UK public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton and colleagues at King?s College London claim that drinking tea is healthier than water.

BBC News on August 24, 2006 released the news story based on Dr Ruxton's research findings as contained in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Contrary to common belief, tea does not dehydrate but re-hydrates. Both water and tea replace body fluid but tea contains antioxidants, whereas water does not.

Antioxidants fight oxidants or free radicals that attack healthy cells, proteins and fats. In the long run, the damage might lead to cataract, several types of cancer and heart disease.

In other words, tea reduces the risks of being infected by the above said diseases.

Unlike water, however, tea has its negative side. It has caffeine. "Very high doses of caffeine dehydrate but everyone assumes that all caffeine containing beverages dehydrate, Even if you have a really strong cup of tea, which is quite hard to make, you would still have a net gain of fluid," Dr Ruxton said.
Tea can negatively affect the body's ability to absorb iron from food. Consequently, people at risk of anemia should not drink tea while having meals.

The increasing popularity of soft drinks reduces tea consumption. But tea is still very popular among the elderly. "Sometimes it makes up about 70 percent of fluid intake among people above the age of 40, which makes tea a really important contributor," the doctor said.

Tea should not be consumed on an empty stomach. Neither are you recommended to have tea with sugar. Also, pregnant and breast-feeding women are advised to stay away from tea.

When you take medicines, don?t use tea because its ingredients might lead to reactions that reduces or neutralize their healing powers.

Neither should tea be consumed while still very hot, namely at between 60 and 70 degrees C because it can lead to cancer of the esophagus.

Claire Williams of the British Nutrition Foundation says that ideally people should have a daily fluid intake of between 1.5 ? 2 liters. A combination of water and tea are recommended with a maximum daily tea
intake of about 750 ml, adding that tea does not dehydrate and is a healthy drink.

Though funded by the UK Tea Council, Dr Ruxton stressed the study was independent.

Having read the BBC News, a joggler named Perry Romanowski said tea has got five benefits and accordingly he now drinks three liters of Lipton tea a day instead of the usual Coke, Pepsi and Dr Pepper.

First, tea re-hydrates; second, tea is good for your teeth because it
contains fluoride; third, tea helps prevent heart attacks because it has antioxidants; fourth, tea contains ingredients that could strengthen the bones, and fifth, tea (notably green tea) has antioxidants that could prevent certain types of cancer, such as bladder, stomach and esophagus cancer.

Writing in a blog called the Average Joggler, Romanowski explains joggling is a combination of long distance running or jogging and juggling. So Romanowski juggles while he jogs, making him a joggler.
Tea leaves contain polyphenols, a group of chemicals. And polyphenols contain flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants. Heavy tea drinkers are said to have higher levels of HDL (high density lipoprotein) or good
cholesterol and lower levels of LDL (low density lipoprotein) or bad
cholesterol. That?s why tea protects against heart disease.

Some 20 to 30 percent of flavonoids are round in common green and black tea.

So, as Claire Williams suggests, let us stick to a fluid moderately hot or warm green or black tea. ***3***
(T. Tonny/E002)