University of Pretoria (UP) researchers have found that the antioxidant content of certain types of tea can be likened to that found in recommended portions of fruit and vegetables.

For the study, which was published in Toxicology, Professor Zeno Apostolides of UP’s Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences measured the amount of antioxidants in fruit, vegetables and tea against the amount found in a standard 200mg vitamin C tablet.

The result: an equivalent amount ­– and a compelling reason to incorporate tea into your diet.

“This does not mean that you can ditch your healthy eating habits,” Prof Apostolides cautions. “While tea made from the Camellia sinensis plant has considerable health benefits, tea should not be used as a substitute for fruit and vegetables under any circumstances, and should simply be used to supplement your diet.”

Prof Apostolides’ research was conducted on 15 types of non-herbal tea and 10 types of herbal tea found in supermarkets, as well as a variety of fruit and vegetables. The findings showed that just half a cup of black tea, oolong tea or green tea contained the same amount of antioxidants with radical scavenging capabilities (RSC) as that of a 200mg vitamin C tablet. RSC refers to a substance’s ability to neutralise harmful free radicals – unstable molecules that can cause cell damage. Antioxidants are compounds that counteract free radicals, preventing and slowing down the cell damage and cell death caused by them.

Furthermore, one cup of black, oolong or green tea contains the same amount of RSC as four servings of fruit or 12 servings of vegetables.

Different foods contain different types of antioxidants, and a variety of antioxidants is needed to combat the negative effects of free radicals.

“Free radicals are highly reactive, unstable molecules that are produced as a by-product of the body’s natural metabolism processes,” Prof Apostolides explains. “They only live for a fraction of a second, but during their short lifespan, they can damage the DNA inside your body’s cells.”

The damage that they cause can increase the risk of developing cancer and heart disease, among other health conditions. Free radicals are produced after the body has been exposed to harmful compounds in the environment, such as tobacco smoke, toxic chemicals or air pollution, or prolonged exposure to sun and ultraviolet light. A nutrient-poor diet can also produce free radicals.

“Free radicals can be either harmful or helpful, but a build-up of harmful free radicals (known as oxidative stress) can cause significant damage to the body’s cells,” Prof Apostolides says.

Oxidative stress causes damage to cell membranes, proteins, lipids and DNA. This damage negatively affects how the body’s cells work and how they replicate. A negative effect on cell replication can cause mutations in DNA, thereby increasing the risk of developing cancer.

“The results of the study also showed that tea made from the Camellia sinensis plant contained a significantly larger amount of RSC than the amount found in herbal teas,” Prof Apostolides says. “Rooibos tea, however, is still a close second, with one and a half cups containing as much RSC as that of a standard vitamin C tablet.”