Tea Advisory Panel

Posted date:

28th Jun '21

New research review highlights the health benefits of thearubigins – a polyphenol found only in black tea

Whether it’s clean eating, superfood diets or rapid ways to lose weight, green tea is renowned for its health credentials; with regular black tea – enjoyed by millions of Brits everyday – often forgotten. However, a new scientific review in the journal, Nutrition & Food Technology [1] from the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) argues that the little-known polyphenols found in black tea – called thearubigins – have equally powerful health benefits.

Brits have the highest thearubigin intake in Europe with the average tea drinker taking in 327 mg daily – more than double the European average of 156 mg and 50 times higher than the intakes in Spain.

This latest TAP review published in Nutrition & Food Technology [1] examined the results from five human studies and 17 laboratory studies looking specifically at thearubigins, one of the flavonoid group of polyphenols. The main areas of health which could be influenced by thearubigins were gut health, blood pressure and anti-cancer effects, in part due to their powerful antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory effects.

Research on thearubigins is at an early stage in comparison with the wealth of data on the benefits of drinking green and black teas. However, it’s clear from laboratory studies that thearubigins are important antioxidants and appear to have anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as regulating gut function.

This new review is great for people who prefer a regular cup of black tea and adds to the considerable evidence on tea’s role in maintaining heart health, cognitive function and gut health. More research and clinical trials are now needed.

The Facts: Black Tea And Thearubigins: Black tea contains thousands of biological compounds which includes the flavonoid family (thearubigins, theaflavins catechins and glycosides such as quercetin) alongside many others such as, amino acids (including L. theanine), phenolic acids (caffeic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acids and cauramic acid) vitamins (A, C and K), lipids and fluoride [1]. Thearubigins are major components of black tea that provide its distinctive dark, brown colour.

Read the full paper here: https://sciforschenonline.org/journals/nutrition-food/NFTOA168.php

For more information or to speak to TAP on this research paper please email: nicky@junglecatsolutions.com

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