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URBANA, Ill.

Could preventing colon cancer be as simple as developing a taste for yerba mate tea? In a recent University of Illinois study, scientists showed that human colon cancer cells die when they are exposed to the approximate number of bioactive compounds present in one cup of this brew, which has long been consumed in South America for its medicinal properties.

“The caffeine derivatives in mate tea not only induced death in human colon cancer cells, they also reduced important markers of inflammation,” said Elvira de Mejia, a U of I associate professor of food chemistry and food toxicology.

That’s important because inflammation can trigger the steps of cancer progression, she said.

In the in vitro study, de Mejia and former graduate student Sirima Puangpraphant isolated, purified, and then treated human colon cancer cells with caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) derivatives from mate tea. As the scientists increased the CQA concentration, cancer cells died as a result of apoptosis.

“Put simply, the cancer cell self-destructs because its DNA has been damaged,” she said.

The ability to induce apoptosis, or cell death, is a promising tactic for therapeutic interventions in all types of cancer, she said.

de Mejia said they were able to identify the mechanism that led to cell death. Certain CQA derivatives dramatically decreased several markers of inflammation, including NF-kappa-B, which regulates many genes that affect the process through the production of important enzymes. Ultimately cancer cells died with the induction of two specific enzymes, caspase-3 and caspase-8, de Mejia said.

“If we can reduce the activity of NF-kappa-B, the important marker that links inflammation and cancer, we’ll be better able to control the transformation of normal cells to cancer cells,” she added.

The results of the study strongly suggest that the caffeine derivatives in mate tea have potential as anti-cancer agents and could also be helpful in other diseases associated with inflammation, she said.

But, because the colon and its microflora play a major role in the absorption and metabolism of caffeine-related compounds, the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of mate tea may be most useful in the colon.

“We believe there’s ample evidence to support drinking mate tea for its bioactive benefits, especially if you have reason to be concerned about colon cancer. Mate tea bags are available in health food stores and are increasingly available in large supermarkets,” she added.

The scientists have already completed and will soon publish the results of a study that compares the development of colon cancer in rats that drank mate tea as their only source of water with a control group that drank only water.

Source: University of Illinois

Abstract: This in vitro study was published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, vol. 55, pp. 1509-1522, in 2011. Co-authors include Sirima Puangpraphant, now an assistant professor at Kasetsart University in Thailand; Greg Potts, an undergraduate student at the U of I; and Mark A. Berhow and Karl Vermillion of the USDA, ARS, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois. The work was funded by the U of I Research Board and Puangpraphant’s Royal Thai Government Scholarship.

The first cup of tea!
Tea is the world’s most popular prepared drink. It was discovered by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C., when a tea leaf accidentally fell into the bowl of hot water he was drinking.

Tea arrives in Canada
The first tea shipment to arrive in Canada was imported by the Hudson Bay Company in 1716 and took more than a year to arrive – Canadians have been tea lovers ever since.

Afternoon tea, of course!
In the early 19th century, afternoon tea as a social custom, was originated by Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford. The Duchess began inviting guests to join her for a cup of tea and some sweets and savouries in the afternoon, in order to fill the long gap between breakfast and late dinners. The ritual caught on in England and North America and soon became an afternoon tradition that remains today. Modern afternoon tea at trendy tea salons and cafés feature a wide variety of quality teas and fine finger foods.

How fresh brewed iced tea was born!
An Englishman named Richard Blechynden was unsuccessfully promoting tea at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. You see, the sweltering southern heat did little to attract patrons to hot tea, so Mr. Blechynden added ice cubes and the crowds loved the new brew. Ever since this fortuitous discovery, iced tea has continued to grow in popularity.

Tulsi is one of India’s most sacred herbs, an aromatic shrub recognized for its spiritually uplifting and healing properties. The infusion is deep yellow and has a spicy and minty aroma, and a naturally sweet and pleasant flavor.

Tulsi or holy basil is an important symbol in the Hindu religious tradition and is worshiped in the morning and evening by Hindus at large. The holy basil is also a herbal remedy for a lot of common ailments. Holy Basil has been called the “Incomparable One”, the “Queen of Herbs” and “The Elixir of Life.”

When it comes to beverage orders at restaurants, operators should pay as much or more attention to regular brewed coffee as they do to specialty coffees and teas, according to a new study from market research firm Technomic cited in a Nation’s Restaurant News report.


The study, “Market Intelligence Report: Coffee and Tea,” found that 60 percent of surveyed restaurant customers reported ordering regular coffee or tea in the past month. The only beverages more popular were non-diet carbonated soft drinks, ordered by 62 percent of surveyed customers.


“Consumers who regularly purchase coffee on their way to work are motivated by the convenience of the location,” said Joe Pawlak, vice president of Technomic. “But significantly, they are actually more motivated by the quality of the coffee, making them important loyal customers who return often.”
Fourteen percent of customers are buying more hot coffee today than they were two years ago, according to the report.


Ten percent reported the same for iced tea. Their popularity has increased in spite of rising prices; the average price of regular coffee increased from $2.25 in 2008 to $2.36 today, and the average price of hot tea or iced tea increased from $2.40 to $2.57 during the same time period.


Quick-service restaurant chains have recognized the opportunity presented by customers’ desire for coffee and tea and responded by emphasizing their importance in plans for the future, according toNRN. McDonald’s launched its McCafé coffee line in 2009 after upgrading to a premium roast blend in 2006. Its competitor Wendy’s has identified an upgraded coffee line as crucial to the chain’s success in breakfast service, and is currently testing it in six markets.


In Technomic’s report, 73 percent of customers stated they are interested in green tea, which contains antioxidants and offers other reported healing benefits; 61 percent stated they are interested in tea with lemon; and 60 percent said they are interested in tea with honey flavoring.


Chains that have announced plans for new coffee and tea products also include Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Jamba Juice, Bruegger’s Bagels and Pinkberry.
Technomic surveyed 1,500 customers for the report during the month of June.

Roasted kukicha tea

Also known as Twig tea, green tea Kukicha is a Japanese tea made ​​from stalks and stems of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis.

The twigs are pruned from the shrub, steamed and dried, then aged and grilled.

Kukicha Green tea is rich in many health properties including minerals such as zinc, selenium, copper, selenium, manganese, and fluoride.

This tea also contains vitamins C, B1, B2, niacin, vitamin A, theanine, catechins (polyphenols), flavonoids and amino acids.

Here’s some health benefits of drinking green tea Kukicha:

• Contains six times more calcium than cows milk thereby helping to build bone density
• Contains  2 1/2 times more Vitamin C than oranges
• Reduces high blood pressure.
• Helps with digestion.
• Combats fatigue
• Benefits people suffering from bladder infection and heart diseases
• Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.
• Fluoride helps reduce plaque and bacterial infection
• Helps lower cholesterol levels.
• Low in Caffeine
• Burns fat