A soothing cup of rice? Chinese scientists create grain with health benefits of tea
Chinese scientists have engineered the first 'tea rice' enriched with the antioxidant compounds that make
green tea a health-boosting drink.
Advertisement
The
rice has been fortified with the micronutrient catechin, and the researchers behind it say it can provide the health benefits of tea without any side effects from caffeine.
'Catechins, as key antioxidant components in tea plants with high content, offer certain benefits to human health,' the team said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed Plant Biotechnology Journal in March.
01:33
2-metre 'giant rice' twice as tall as other varieties nearly ready for first harvest in China
2-metre 'giant rice' twice as tall as other varieties nearly ready for first harvest in China
Catechin flavonoids are a type of polyphenol – micronutrients that occur naturally in plants – shown to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and cardioprotective properties.
Catechins are thought to play a role in regulating blood pressure, aiding in weight loss, and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.
'These essential flavonoid phytonutrients are renowned for their pivotal role in bestowing the unique health benefits associated with tea plant consumption,' the team said.
Advertisement
Catechins make up around 15 to 30 per cent of the dry weight of tea, with particularly high levels found in green tea as it does not undergo the same oxidation process that black tea does during processing.
While green tea contains these beneficial compounds, it also contains caffeine, which can cause people to experience symptoms like insomnia and heart palpitations, particularly when consumed in large amounts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
‘Man mums' in China sell 5-minute hugs for US$7, gain popularity among lonely women
A growing number of young women in China are shelling out 50 yuan (US$7) for five-minute stress-relieving hugs from 'man mums'. Advertisement The so-called man mums are a trending group on mainland social media. The term originally described muscular gym-goers but it now refers to men who combine physical strength with traditionally feminine traits like gentleness and patience. A stressed-out student recently posted online that she wanted to pay for a hug from a kind, fit 'man mum' to cope with thesis pressure. 'I was hugged once in secondary school and felt safe. We can just hug for five minutes at an underground station,' she wrote. One woman said she wanted a hug from a kind, fit man to cope with the stress of her studies. Photo: The post went viral, racking up more than 100,000 comments.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong has role to play in better global health
Healthcare is a major concern around the world, yet the prognosis for improving the sector has worsened amid rising geopolitical tensions and trade protectionism that erode trust and international collaboration. So, it was encouraging to see the city take a leading role in efforts to safeguard health worldwide by hosting last week's Asia Summit on Global Health. The two-day summit was held alongside a major industry trade fair and healthcare week. More than 2,800 delegates from around the world attended the summit organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Top officials from the city and the mainland outlined how the city could foster global exchange and cooperation, showcasing its potential in healthcare investment, trade and position as a medical technology hub. In his opening speech at the conference, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said responding to global healthcare challenges must not be like 'fighting a virus' with quarantines. Lee said collaboration rather than isolation was the best solution to tackling healthcare, trade and other societal issues.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China is working on an ultra-fast torpedo powered by AI for submarine warfare
In the recent Chinese blockbuster Operation Leviathan, an American nuclear submarine uses hi-tech acoustic holograms to bamboozle Chinese torpedoes and their human operators. Advertisement Months after the film hit cinema screens, military researchers in China revealed they were working on an artificial intelligence system designed to cut through exactly this type of underwater deception. In a peer-reviewed paper published in Chinese-language journal Command Control & Simulation in April, the team from the PLA Navy Armament Department and China State Shipbuilding Corporation said their system had unprecedented accuracy for torpedoes travelling at high speeds. Tested against data from classified high-speed torpedo ranges, the technology achieved an average 92.2 per cent success rate in distinguishing real submarines from decoys even during tense exchanges, according to the paper. That is a leap from the legacy systems that often miss the target. Russia's high-speed torpedo, the VA-111 Shkval, relies on supercavitation. Photo: Shutterstock
