Green Tea May Prevent Eye Diseases

Catechins, a group of powerful antioxidants in green tea, may be good for the eyes - and actually ward off some eye diseases - if findings from an animal study in Hong Kong hold up. Investigators there gave lab rats green tea to drink and then tested their eyes to see if the tea's catechins had any beneficial effect. They found that the antioxidants reduced oxidative stress in the animals' eyes for up to 20 hours. Based on these findings, the Chinese researchers suggested that catechins are absorbed by the lens, retina and other parts of the eyes, although they don't yet know how the antioxidants get to the eyes from the gastrointestinal system. Based on their findings, the investigators said that catechins might protect the eyes from oxidative stress and, in humans, might help prevent such common eye diseases as glaucoma. The researchers noted that other antioxidants capable of protecting the eyes include vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein and zeanxanthin. The green tea study was published in the February 10, 2009, issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.