Robin Baugus

Fall Quarter 2012

Chado Term Paper
Tea as Medicine: Then and Now

Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the

apothecary.
Better to be deprived of food for three days than of tea for
one.
-Chinese Proverbs

Introduction
Today tea is (excluding water) the most consumed beverage in the world. It is drunk in most countries
and, within these countries, is often accompanied by a unique culture surrounding its preparation, taste
preferences, and uses. Regardless of the subtleties of tea consumerism between one nation and another,
since its discovery, tea has been almost universally recognized as a drink with medicinal properties
whose consumption is as much a matter of enjoyment as it is a matter of well-being. This championing
of tea's health benefits continues (and is, indeed, becoming more widely recognized) through modern
times both in nations such as China and Japan where it has long been a staple of traditional diets, as
well as in nations such as the United States where tea is, comparatively, a newer phenomena.

Early Tea
While Chinese legend attributes the first cup of tea to emperor Shen Nung who drank water he had
been boiling, into which a tea leaf had been blown by the wind, tea is believed to have played a role in
medicinal practices from prehistoric times.

Tea leaves were chewed both for its invigorating effects and detoxification purposes before steeping

them in water became a recognized practice. Furthermore, rubbing tea leaves onto wounds was noted
as having a healing effect, and in both Thailand and Southwest China tea was consumed alongside
other health-related foods either as steamed tea balls or as a form of paste mixed with other ingredients
respectively. The major spread of tea into China is largely accredited to Buddhist monks, for whom
(along with their Taoist counterparts) tea played a major role in meditative practices.1 For the monks,
early consumers, and indeed Shen Nung himself, tea was recognized foremost as a product which
allowed for prolonged alertness, enhanced concentration, and a sense of refreshment. In these
capacities tea become a near invaluable commodity, especially for monks who spent long hours in
meditative states.

Tea was also renowned for its antioxidant properties. A second Chinese legend relates that Emperor
Shennog endeavored to classify the flora of China by taste. When he would eat a plant which was
poisonous, he found tea leaves would counteract their toxins allowing him to continue with his
project.

Finally, a large part of traditional Chinese medicine was focused on the concepts of yin and yang and
their relation to qi (chi). In the microcosmic human body, qi flows freely amoung the major bodily
organs (spleen, stomach, heart, liver, lungs, etc.) which have a yin or yang association. This flow of qi
is vital to one's well-being as an imbalance in either yin or yang creates a lack of harmony. If the qi
from a yin organ is prevented from reaching a yang organ, balance has been lost and illness was the
believed result. The flow of qi in the body was maintained by the proper nourishment of its principle
organs each nourished by a specific type of food. While sweet foods would nourish the stomach,
pungent foods would nourish the lungs. Salty foods cared for the kidneys, sour foods for the liver. The
heart the most important of the body's main organs was believed to be nourished by bitter foods and
1

Standage, Tom. "Empires of Tea." A History of the World in 6 Glasses. New York: Walker &, 2005. 177-78. Print.

was thus the most difficult to maintain as very few foods were considered both to be bitter and edible.
Tea was believed to fall into this exclusive category, and so its importance in traditional medicine
cannot be underestimated.2

Because of its recognized effects on one's ability to remain alert, its aid in ridding the body of toxins,
and its classification as a heart-nourishing, bitter food, it is not that surprising that tea was considered
by many to be a key ingredient in the long sought for elixir of life if not the elixir itself. Despite
minor variations in its popularity and overall widespread use over the course of history, tea has
managed to firmly establish itself in the everyday lives of many Asiatic countries China and Japan in
particular. Indeed, tea may be considered one of the necessities of Chinese and Japanese life even
through the modern day.

Modern Thoughts
Tea continues to enjoy the prestige of being both a delicious and nutritious beverage by most accounts,
and many of its health benefits discovered in earlier times have been validated, explained, and even in
some cases, expanded.

Despite the absence in most modern thought of the yin and yang balances in the human body,
maintained by qi and the proper nourishment of principal organs tea remains a recognized source of
antioxidants and renewed energy as the result, we now know, of its caffeine content. Despite modern
technological validation of certain ancient beliefs surrounding the medicinal properties of tea,
traditional medicine, while not scientifically validated, is still prevalent in many countries for whom it
is deeply ingrained in their cultural background. As such, the notion of tea being a bitter food to
maintain the health of the heart has not disappeared and may still be advocated by practitioners of
2

Krieger, Susan. "The Energetics of Foods for Health and Healing." World Wide Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.worldwidehealth.com/health-article-The-Energetics-of-Foods-for-Health-and-Healing.html>.

traditional oriental medicine.

Comparisons between tea-drinking societies (here meaning societies in which tea is an established
cultural phenomena, such as China or Japan) and non tea-drinking societies (such as the United States)
show marked differences in over all national health and the ability to survive major plagues or
epidemics. These differences are largely attributed to the fact that tea is almost always prepared by
placing leaves in boiled water this results in tea drinkers consuming water free of harmful viruses or
bacteria which were all destroyed in the boiling process. The spread of water-borne illnesses is thereby
severely limited, even in those areas where water is of a lower quality.3

Today, scientific studies have been conducted to test the effectiveness of tea in combating cancer to
Alzheimer's, diabetes to muscle damage, and even dental health. In many instances these studies are
limited and for some, the results remain inconclusive. However, it is agreed that tea is a source of
polyphenols4 which act as antioxidants, minerals such as fluoride and aluminum, and some antibacterial
agents which have various effects on tea's ability to combat particular illnesses and conditions,
including gingivitis, and E. coli all while leaving the drinker with fresher breath as a result of killing
odor-causing bacteria.

The antioxidants found in green tea are such that they are believed capable of inhibiting the growth of
existing cancer cells including those for cancer of the mouth, skin, colon, stomach, and rectum.5

4
5

Kipple, Kennith F., and Kriemhild C. Ornelas, eds. "Tea." Cambridge World History of Food. N.p.: University, 2000. 712-20. Gale Virtual Reference
Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/retrieve.do?
sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=wash_main&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListType
=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchFormtPosition=9&contentSet=GALE|CX3450400093&&docId=GALE|
CX3450400093&docType=GALE>.
Naturally occurring plant substances which act as anti-oxidants
Fundukian, Laurie J., ed. "Green Tea." The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: n.p., 2009. 967-70. Gale Virtual
Reference Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/retrieve.do?
sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=wash_main&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListType
=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchFormtPosition=14&contentSet=GALE|CX3240100371&&docId=GALE|
CX3240100371&docType=GALE>.

However, studies on the ability of tea to combat cancer remain largely inconclusive as very few clinical
trials have been conducted and a variety of factors may contribute to the varying results available.6
However, while tea has not been labeled officially a cancer preventative by the National Cancer
Institute, most sources largely agree in its potential for inhibiting the spread of cancerous cells and
advocate its consumption.

One antioxidant in particular, EGCG has been tested for its effectiveness against multiple human
conditions not just cancer. While EGCG is believed to help cancerous cells to die in the same way
that normal cells do7, it has also been tested as a preventative against Alzheimer's and muscle damage.
While it proved effective against Alzheimer's in mice, scientists remain skeptical about its having
similar effects on humans due to the differences in the sizes of the dose provided to the mice and which
we might find in an average cup of tea. It would require a 1,500-1,600 mg daily dosage of EGCG to
achieve similar effects, which would not be found in a regular cup of the beverage. However, EGCG
extract was found effective against muscle damage in an experiment conducted by Baylor University.

Potentially Harmful Effects

Although tea has been championed for many years as an inexpensive, yet invaluable source of healthy
attributes, modern research is beginning to uncover some potentially harmful effects of tea as well.
While the caffeine content found in an average cup of green tea is significantly less than that of a cup
of coffee (allowing for both increased alertness and relaxation without caffeine jitters), some believe
that it may still cause sleep disorders in nursing infants if passed through breast milk. Also, despite the
considerable difference in caffeine content, if enough tea has been consumed, one might still

6
7

"Tea and Cancer Prevention: Strengths and Limits of the Evidence." National Cancer Institute. National Cancer Institute, 17 Nov. 2010. Web. 19 Nov.
2012. <http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/tea>. These may include: tea preparation and consumption, the amount of tea
compounds that can be absorbed by the body, lifestyle differences, and individual genetic factors.
"Green Tea." American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society, 4 May 2012. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/herbsvitaminsandminerals/green-tea>.

experience the same harmful side effects of caffeine, including irritability, heart palpitations, or
restlessness. Similarly, while tea is noted to contain both fluoride and aluminum which may be
beneficial for the development of stronger, healthier teeth: an excess in these substances is recognized
as dangerous to one's overall health.

Conclusion
While the scientific investigations into ancient claims of tea's health benefits remains a relatively new
and still unexplored area of interest, as trends in non tea-drinking societies begin to gravitate towards a
focus on healthy alternatives for a relatively unhealthy diet, tea is gaining in popularity and the results
of these studies are becoming more anticipated. It is not surprising, then, that tea consumption in these
nations has risen, though it still does not equal that of nations for whom tea is of cultural significance.

Despite some uncertainty in light of inconclusive results, the study of tea's health benefits remains a
worth-while endeavor, as many claims by ancient consumers are coming to seem at least plausible if
not correct and new benefits are being discovered which were not realized by tea drinkers of old.

Works Consulted

Heiss, Mary Lou., and Robert J. Heiss. "8 - The Health Benefits of Tea." The Story of Tea: A
Cultural History and Drinking Guide. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed, 2007. 350-63. Print.

Huard, Pierre, and Ming Wong. Chinese Medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1968. Print.

Korsmeyer, Pamela, and Henry R. Kranzler, eds. "Tea." Encyclopediea of Drugs, Alcohol &
Addictive Behavior. 3rd ed. Vol. 4. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. 83-85. Gale
Virtual Reference Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/retrieve.do?
sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=w
ash_main&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&se
archType=BasicSearchFormtPosition=6&contentSet=GALE|
CX2699700439&&docId=GALE|CX2699700439&docType=GALE>.

Robinson, Richard, ed. "Tea." Plant Sciences. Vol. 4. New York: Macmillan Reference USA,
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<http://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/retrieve.do?
sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=w
ash_main&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&se
archType=BasicSearchFormtPosition=1&contentSet=GALE|
CX3408000295&&docId=GALE|CX3408000295&docType=GALE>.

Shibamoto, Takayuki, Junji Terao, and Toshihiko Osawa, eds. Functional Foods for Disease
Prevention I. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1998. Print.

Sivin, Nathan. "2 - Theoretical Concepts." Traditional Medicine in Contemporary China: A

Partial Translation of Revised Outline of Chinese Medicine (1972) : With an Introductory Study
on Change in Present Day and Early Medicine. Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies,
University of Michigan, 1987. 43-94. Print.

Wang, Mingfu, Shengmin Sang, Lucy Sun Hwang, and Chi-Tang Ho, eds. Herbs: Challenges in
Chemistry and Biology. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 2006. Print.

Works Cited

Fundukian, Laurie J., ed. "Green Tea." The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. 3rd ed.
Vol. 2. Detroit: n.p., 2009. 967-70. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/retrieve.do?
sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=w
ash_main&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&se
archType=BasicSearchFormtPosition=14&contentSet=GALE|
CX3240100371&&docId=GALE|CX3240100371&docType=GALE>.

"Green Tea." American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society, 4 May 2012. Web. 19
Nov. 2012.
<http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedici
ne/herbsvitaminsandminerals/green-tea>.

Kipple, Kennith F., and Kriemhild C. Ornelas, eds. "Tea." Cambridge World History of Food.
N.p.: University, 2000. 712-20. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/retrieve.do?
sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=w
ash_main&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&se
archType=BasicSearchFormtPosition=9&contentSet=GALE|
CX3450400093&&docId=GALE|CX3450400093&docType=GALE>.

Krieger, Susan. "The Energetics of Foods for Health and Healing." World Wide Health. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.worldwidehealth.com/health-article-The-Energetics-ofFoods-for-Health-and-Healing.html>.

Standage, Tom. "Empires of Tea." A History of the World in 6 Glasses. New York: Walker &,
2005. 177-78. Print.

"Tea and Cancer Prevention: Strengths and Limits of the Evidence." National Cancer Institute.
National Cancer Institute, 17 Nov. 2010. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/tea>.