A study conducted in the laboratories of a United States multinational under the guidance of Dr P Quinlan on 19 healthy volunteers who drank 400 ml of black tea, coffee, caffeinated water, decaffeinated tea or plain water on three occasions throughout the day found that tea consumption was associated with a slightly higher Critical Flicker Fusion (CFF) threshold, which is a measure of a person's ability to distinguish discrete sensory data. Tea was also associated with significantly less variation in CFF level throughout the day.

The word tea is derived from the Dutch thee, which in turn had its roots in the Malay the and the Chinese te.

Other benefits can be derived from the daily cup of tea. Tea is one of the richest natural sources of antioxidants-natural biochemicalcompounds that protect the body from the harmful effects of free radical cells that may eventually lead to chronic conditions such as heart disease or cancer. The best known antioxidants in our diet are Vitamin C, E and Beta Carotene.

Recent research reveals that tea has more antioxidants than fruits or vegetables, although it is not a substitute and is not recommended for children.

The antioxidants in tea are called flavonoids, said Dr P R Krishnaswamy, the convenor of a tea and health information centre set up in Bangalore by the country's oldest tea-producing company.

In France, the association between reduced incidence of coronary heart disease and the consumption of red wine is known as the `French Paradox'. In China and Finland, the use of green tea and the lesser incidence of heart disease is known as the Far Eastern Paradox.

Emerging research, Dr Krishnaswamy said, indicates a direct association between an increased consumption of food rich in antioxidants and a reduced risk of chronicdegenerating diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.

Preliminary research shows that flovonoids in black tea may reduce the risk of heart attack or coronary artery disease by preventing oxidative damage to the arterial walls and by reducing platelet aggregation (ability of platelets to form clots on arterial walls). Studies on animal models have suggested that tea flavonoids possess anticarcinogenic properties. Further research may corroborate these findings in humans.

By-products of normal metabolism, oxidant in nature, cause pronounced damage to DNA, proteins and lipids, the sequel being aging and degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cataract, lower immunity and functional degeneration of the brain. In the light of information gathered during the past decade, tea represents one of the most exciting examples in nutrition science.

Free radicals and other reactive oxygen species in the body are derived from normal, essential or metabolic processesor may come from external sources. Chronic exposure to free radicals can damage DNA, membrane lipids, lipoproteins and functional and structural proteins.

Free radical scavengers or antioxidants have been shown to protect against cancer, counteract atherosclerosis and heart attack, decrease the risk of cataract and other ocular disorders and slow the progression of Parkinson's Disease.

Next to water, tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world, with an estimated one billion cups consumed daily worldwide. Tea is a natural plant food and all varieties of tea (with the exception of herbal tea) come from the camellia sinensis plant.