TEMPLAR: The Choice for Health

Tea Phenols: Antioxidant Effectiveness of Teas, Tea Components, Tea Fractions and Their Binding with Lipoproteins

Phenols in tea are responsible for its antioxidant activity. The pure catechins and phenolic acids found in tea are more powerful than the antioxidant group of vitamins C, E and Betacarotene in an in vitro lipoprotein oxidation model. Comparison of the tea fractions indicated that both catechins and theaflavins contribute to the teas' antioxidant characteristics. Black and green teas were not significantly different in phenol content, in antioxidant strength, or in antioxidant potential as measured by the phenol antioxidant index (PAOXI). The PAOXI of teas were considerably higher than grape juices and wines. Tea catechins and both green and black tea exhibited potent lipoprotein-bound antioxidant activity. Phenol antioxidants from tea were calculated to be a major source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet.

U.S. Per Capita Polyphenol Consumption from Common Fruits, Vegetables and Beverages
		mg/day
	Coffee1	645
	Tea	345
	Beer	341
	Wine	23
	Orange Juice	15
	Tomatoes	65
	Potatoes	64
	Apples	51
	Grapes	31
	Raisins	15
1No epidemiological studies indicate a health benefit related to the consumption of coffee. Source: J.A. Vinson, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA (presented at the American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Orlando, August 1996

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