Tea flavonoids: their functions, utilisation and analysis

The three main categories of tea: green, black and oolong, result from different processing procedures. In recent years tea has attracted more and more attention because of reported health benefits, in particularly as an antioxidant, but also as an anticarcinogenic and antiarteriosclerotic agent. It is generally believed that flavonoids are mainly responsible for these actions. Tea is now consumed throughout the world not just as a popular beverage, but, because its extracts have been prepared in a variety of physical forms, for example, strong infusions, soft extracts and powders, it is now widely available in a range of food, beverage, and toiletry and cosmetic products.