Tea prevents prostate cancer better than coffee

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By Jimmy Downs

A new review article published in the Feb 2009 issue of Molecular Nutrition & Food Research suggests that drinking tea, particularly green tea is better than drinking coffee in preventing prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is expected to be diagnosed in 192,280 men in 2009 in the United States and the disease is expected to kill 27,360 this year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Dietary factors are believed to play a role in the risk of developing prostate cancer. Tea and coffee are neither considered risk factors nor preventative substances.

Although few trials have been done, tea and coffee, the two most popular beverages in the world have been investigated for their possible effects on prostate cancer.

Lee A.H. and colleagues from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, WA, Australia reviewed previous studies and found that coffee is safe, but its consumption has no correlation with prostate cancer.

Tea, particularly green tea, on the other hand, has shown some potential in the prevention of prostate cancer in previous animal and in vitro studies, the authors said.

"Although evidence on the relationship between coffee, tea and prostate cancer is not complete, we consider it strong enough to recommend tea as a healthier alternative to coffee," the researchers wrote.