Every office has that one person who is brew-shy and will avoid
having to fill up the kettle at all costs! However, these type of people
may reconsider after scientists discovered that drinking Earl Grey tea
could help to protest against the onset of heart disease.
The tasty beverage – a popular drink in television program Downton
Abbey - contains a fragrant Mediterranean citrus fruit bergamot, an
extract responsible for the distinct taste and smell which experts found
can be as beneficial as statins like Atorvastatin or Pravastatin in lowering bad cholesterol and ultimately lowering the risk of heart disease.
New research has shown that Earl’s Grey
tea contains enzymes called HMGF (hydroxy methyl glutaryl flavonones),
which work at fighting the body’s proteins that help to cause
cardiovascular disease – something which is the primary reason for a
quarter of deaths in the UK.
The study was conducted by scientists from Italy’s University of
Calabria, who worked with concentrations of HMGF on the proteins that
are responsible for ‘bad’ cholesterol and heart disease.
Writing in the Journal of Functional Foods, they said that a
dietary supplement of HMGF could be as comparable as statin therapy in
fighting low-density proteins (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol, with the
bergamot extract with HMGF working just as well as the medications after
comparison.
Not only were levels of the bad LDL cholesterol reduced, but
researchers also found that the bergamot extract also increased HDL,
also referred to as ‘good cholesterol’.
Citrus foods belong to the heavily praised ‘Mediterranean diet’,
something which adhered to, many health experts argue it can
dramatically lower the risk of heart disease. Food and drink from this
diet that can aid health include a moderate consumption of ethanol –
derived from the wine, low consumption of meat, and high intake of
vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, fish and olive oil.
Bergamot has only been added to many traditional Mediterranean‘folk’
medicines for the treatment of wounds, inflammation and as an
antiseptic, in addition to its boost for the heart.
The journal’s report said: “High cholesterol is a common health
concern for us all and often statins are given to help treat the
condition. Extract from bergamot – most commonly used in Earl Grey tea –
reduced total cholesterol and LDL levels but there was an increase in
HDL levels (good cholesterol). Therefore a daily supplement of bergamot
fruit extract could be very effective for the treatment of high
cholesterol.”
Cholesterol-busting statins such as Crestor (Rosuvastatin) and
Lipitor (Atorvastatin) are currently prescribed to around 7 million
Brits and function by raising good/protective cholesterol (HDL) and
lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. The higher your
cholesterol level, the higher your risk of suffering a heart attack or
stroke due to your arteries being clogged up with the fat-like substance
known as cholesterol.
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