Prostate cancer, especially prostate cancer risk, has been linked to both genetic and environmental factors. Of the environmental factors, diet is a major concern.
The consumption of both tea and coffee, which are two of the most popular beverages in the world, have been evaluated for effects on health outcomes, including cancer. Despite all the research into dietary questions and the popularity of tea and coffee, there has been little guidance given to the public on the consumption of these drinks.
In a paper from The School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA, Australia ,written by Lee AH, Fraser ML, Binns CW., the relationship between the consumption of tea and coffee and prostate cancer has been examined.
For those coffee drinkers among us, there is good news. Current evidence from this study indicates that coffee is a safe beverage and its consumption probably has no relationship with prostate cancer development and its recurrence. However, tea, especially green tea, has shown some potential in the prevention of prostate cancer (and maybe prostate cancer recurrence) and should be considered a more desirable drink. (Strong evidence of the positive effect of green tea comes only from animal and in vitro studies.)
The take home message – Tea, especially green, is a better alternative to coffee.
Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008 Nov 4. Epub ahead of print.
doi:10.1002/mnfr.200800218
PubMed Abstract
PMID:18985656
Joel T Nowak, MA, MSW
I have been drinking Lipton loose and bag tea my entire lifetime, instant, freeze dried and whole bean coffee for the past 10 years and a friend of mine just was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he drinks tons of coffee, figuratively speaking.
I appreciate your informed document on the subject. I will continue to drink although probably less a day than before, about 3 large 10 oz cups of Arabica coffee a day and work my way down to maybe one or 2- 8 oz cups a day.
I drink herbal tea.
Nobody needs to be afraid of drinking coffee but I am glad research is being done about it in any case.
Living on a major road with 6 lanes of 24/7 traffic does bother me but I keep my windows and doors shut and window air conditioner facing the opposite direction, from the back of the house but still the air pollution problem in Dallas, Texas is a real issue and it effects everyone even people who are lucky to live further away from a freeway or a 6 lane avenue like me.
cheers and happy coffee drinking 🙂