Tea Blog

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve likely noticed numerous articles exploring possible connections between tea and improved health.

If you’d like to revisit that material, you can browse

this collection of posts covering various tea health benefit claims and related research
.

One topic we’ve previously explored involves tea’s potential role in combating resistant bacteria such as MRSA. See

this article examining the possible antibacterial properties of tea against MRSA infections
.

More recent research has expanded on this theme by investigating tea’s effects on another hospital-related infection: Clostridium difficile (C. diff), which is a common healthcare-associated bacterium.

In a study conducted by researchers in Wales, 33 different single-estate teas were tested against 79 strains of the bacteria. The findings, as reported in

this summary of research into tea’s effectiveness against hospital-acquired infections
,
suggest that green tea may be somewhat more effective than black tea.

This effect is thought to be related to polyphenols—naturally occurring compounds found in tea, particularly in less processed varieties such as green tea.

We’ve also covered tea’s potential impact on cholesterol levels. For background, see

this discussion of how tea consumption may influence cholesterol and cardiovascular health
,
including earlier research on the topic.

Additional findings from Australian researchers are discussed in

this report on green tea’s potential to reduce LDL cholesterol levels
,
highlighting the role of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a key compound found in green tea.

Tea’s relationship with diabetes has also been explored. For earlier coverage, see

this article discussing possible links between tea consumption and diabetes risk
.

More recent findings are summarized in

this report on research suggesting that drinking several cups of tea per day may reduce diabetes risk
,
indicating that higher levels of tea consumption may be necessary to see measurable effects.

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