Green Tea Leading the Fight against Stomach Cancer

An unhealthy lifestyle plays a major role in the development of stomach cancer. This is especially true through overconsumption of smoked meat, salted meat, and alcohol.

 

Attack on the stomach mucosa

The symptoms of stomach cancer are myriad and unspecific. They range from sudden weight loss, loss of appetite, or a loss of athletic performance to a feeling of fullness and abdominal pain. For this reason, a potential stomach tumor is often detected late.  30 out of 100,000 people contract stomach cancer every year. Alarming signs include blood in the stool and frequent vomiting.

 

Damaged gastric mucosa promotes the development of gastric cancer.

 

The tumor is diagnosed primarily through a gastroscopy, which detects any potentially dangerous cell changes in the gastric mucosa. It is possible that certain food components and the body’s own digestive enzymes can permanently damage the gastric mucosa and promote the development of cancer. This makes it all the more important to protect the gastric mucosa.

 

 

Lots of fruit and vegetables

A healthy lifestyle with a plant-based diet is key, centered on eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. Alcohol and nicotine should be used in moderation, if at all.

 

However, studies have shown that green tea can not only have an antioxidative protective effect on the stomach mucosa, but also prevent cancer. Statistical surveys in Japan, for example, suggest that in Shizuoka Prefecture, which produces the most green tea in the country, the number of stomach cancers is far below the Japanese average.

 

The use of green tea over 25 years could reduce the risk of stomach cancer by 41%.

 

Green tea reduces the risk of cancer

Meanwhile, a meta-analysis based on studies available to date has also clearly confirmed positive effects for green tea. According to this study, the daily consumption of six cups can reduce the risk of gastric carcinoma by more than one-fifth, 21 percent. If the aromatic drink is consumed over 25 years, the risk of stomach cancer can be reduced by 41 percent.

 

Do not eat and drink too hot!

The impressive effects can be explained by the favorable effect of the plant substances contained, the polyphenols, which are also contained in cranberries, for example, on cancer cells. Similar opportunities as for gastric carcinoma with green tea therefore exist with cranberry to protect against prostate carcinoma.

 

Polyphenols also inhibit bacteria, reducing the risk of Helicobater pylori infection. Remember that drinks and food should never be eaten too hot, or they could damage the stomach mucosa over time.