Flower of Tea Camellia (photo by D. McAbee, courtesy of morguefile.com)

Researchers from Singapore's National Neuroscience Institute have concluded that drinking 23 cups of black tea per month, about ¾ of a cup a day, will lower the risk of developing Parkinson disease by 71%.

An article from Food Navigator states, “Ingredients of black tea other than caffeine appear to be responsible.” The study included 63,257 Chinese men and women. It was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Parkinson disease is a brain disorder that occurs when certain nerve cells die or become impaired. In the United States, it is estimated that 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. There are currently 1.5 million Americans who have Parkinson disease. While the condition usually develops after the age of 65, 15% of those diagnosed are under 50, according to the National Parkinson Foundation.

Green, oolong and black teas all use the same leaves of the same plant, but are subjected to varied lengths of oxidation. Black tea is oxidized for the longest period of time, producing the darkest of the teas.

If you’d like to read the Food Navigator article cited above go to: Black tea may slash Parkinson's disease risk

For more information on the treatment and research of the disease go to: National Parkinson Foundation