A recent scientific study has shown that black tea residues, specifically the fibers left after processing, retain biologically active compounds that have the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells under laboratory conditions.
During the study, the researchers prepared a soluble beverage of the aforementioned fibers using two methods: cold extraction and hot extraction. The results showed that hot water extraction was more efficient in extracting compounds such as catechins, theaflavins, thearubigins, and theanine, which are compounds commonly associated with health-beneficial biological activity.
Scientists tested these extracts on three types of cancer cells, including prostate cancer, glioblastoma, and breast cancer. The hot extract was found to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells and also showed a strong effect in reducing the viability of one glioblastoma cell line, while the cold extract demonstrated greater effectiveness against breast cancer cells.
The researchers pointed out that these results are based on laboratory experiments on cells only, and do not necessarily prove their effectiveness against cancer in humans, but they may open up prospects for recycling black tea waste and using it as a raw material in developing products and beverages with potential health benefits.
It is worth noting that previous studies conducted by researchers from China and the United States have shown that regular tea consumption may reduce the risk of liver cancer by approximately 49%.
