T IS the world's most popular drink, enjoyed everywhere from building sites to The Ritz.But now scientists have discovered that the great British cuppa holds the potential to fight one of the nation's biggest life-threatening diseases.Groundbreaking research by scientists at Dundee University has revealed that ordinary tea may have the potential to help combat type 2 diabetes, which affects around 200,000 Scots.The scientists have discovered ingredients in black tea mimic the action of the hormone insulin, which is deficient in people with diabetes. They say the next step is to establish whether drinking more tea could help treat diabetes or even prevent it occurring in the first place.The popularity of black tea has declined in recent years as consumers increasingly developed a taste for mineral water, herbal infusions, fruit teas and speciality coffees.The UK Tea Council claims that despite this decline, 165 million cups of tea are drunk each day in the UK – more than twice that of coffee at 70 million – making it by far the nation's most popular drink.Dr Graham Rena, an insulin researcher at the University of Dundee's Neurosciences Institute, believes the health benefits of so-called 'builders' tea' may actually surpass those of other drinks, including green tea, which many claim has cancer-fighting properties and can help with weight loss. In type 2 diabetes, insulin is produced by the body in insufficient quantities or does not work properly. Rena discovered that chemicals in black tea, known as theaflavins and thearubigins, mimic the action of insulin, which helps the body convert sugar to energy. He said: 'The prevailing view has been that green tea is the thing we must have for health benefits. But what we have found is that the substances that mimic insulin action are in black tea
Source link: http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/How-the--humble-cuppa.3834328.jp
Agri. & Commodities
Insurance scheme to be introduced for tea, rubber
New Delhi (PTI): A crop insurance scheme for tea, rubber, tobacco, chili, ginger, turmeric, pepper and cardamom will be introduced next year, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said in his Budget speech in the Parliament.
He also proposed to provide Rs 644 crore for the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) for 2008-09.
'Pending a decision on an alternative crop insurance scheme that is acceptable to the farmers as well as viable to the insurer, the NAIS will be continued in its present form for Kharif and Rabi 2008-09,' Chidambaram said.
In addition, he said the Weather-Based Crop Insurance scheme being implemented on a pilot basis in select areas of five states would continue
Source link: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/015200802291821.htm
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