Herbal teas contain hazardous to health pyrrolizidine alkaloids Herbal teas are considered to be curative, but the investigation carried out by the Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin, revealed the dangerous health pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
In most people's minds for a long time and herbal teas are strongly associated with concepts such as therapeutic, healing, wellness. Internet is clogged guidelines for the collection of herbs and recipes for teas and infusions from a variety of illnesses and ailments. The greater the anxiety aroused now warning, delivered by the Berlin Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in the Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture Germany.
Agency reported that tested the more than 220 species available in the general sale of herbal teas and many of them have found unexpectedly high levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
This is a group of chemical compounds of plant origin, which possess carcinogenic properties. If, however, keep in mind that the Berlin Institute has not been seen in the tendency toward alarmism, then to his warning should be taken very seriously.
Carcinogens in salads and sauces
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are synthesized by many plants as a defense against pests. For efficiency, and hence toxicity, some of these substances surpass all artificially produced pesticides. In all, the scientists recorded more than 500 pyrrolizidine alkaloids in more than six thousand plant species.
A typical example of such a plant can serve as borage, says Boyerle Till (Till Beuerle), Fellow of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology at the Technical University of Braunschweig: Borage - Borago officinalis. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are found in all parts of the plant - and in the roots and stem, and the leaves and flowers. Cultivated as a valuable honey plant.
However, young borage leaves are also used in home cooking: it is part of the Frankfurt green sauce, add them to salads and vinaigrettes. But no one knows exactly how many carcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids falls while consumption.
Rocket salad with a touch of ragwort
The most widely distributed plants with a high content of pyrrolizidine alkaloids are common groundsel, yakobeya ordinary, comfrey, coltsfoot. Let the majority of them are not used directly in cooking, but the danger to humans are all the same.
Already in 2009, a lot of noise was made history with the discovery in a supermarket package arugula mixed with ragwort. Arugula leaves are very similar to the common ragwort leaves - says Till Boyerle. - Even if you put them side by side on two piles, only an expert will notice the difference. And if they are mixed, there is a botanist and sort them will not be easy. Recruit a consumer does not see that to outsiders blended arugula leaves.
And they are not just strangers, but very poisonous.
Slowly but surely poisoning
However, that old story - a case apparently unique. But the accidental eating of rich plant pyrrolizidine alkaloids grazing livestock - apparently, a very common phenomenon, to say - mass. This slow but steady poisoning causes the animals eventually cirrhosis of the liver.
And carcinogens can with milk and meat enter the human body ...
They can, but get it? It is difficult to say, this question is almost not studied. Scientists know not all of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, many still do not lend themselves to the identification in the laboratory. Another problem is that - unlike poisoning poisonous mushrooms or berries, which usually makes itself felt after only an hour or two - pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning may go unnoticed for years. It's more comparable to smoking - says Till Boyerle - that is, it is a very small doses of venom entering the body on a regular basis for many years.
Therefore it is necessary, on the one hand, to educate consumers and on the other, to exclude ingress pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the food chain.
His honey is better stranger
A separate issue - the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey. According to the scientist, German, and indeed European honey is almost free of carcinogens, but the imported goods - especially from South America, Australia and New Zealand - really can not be too healthy.
Therefore, the Institute for Risk Assessment encourages those who are used to eating a lot of honey, as well as children, pregnant and nursing mothers, to give preference to European products and often change the brand of honey. This will reduce the possibility of a dangerous poison. Just do not think that such recommendations - a measure to support the Letter of manufacturer: they are based on the results of a purely scientific research.
Know when to stop and change the grade
But back to where we started: to herbal teas. Alfonso Lampen (Alfonso Lampen), who heads the Berlin office department of food safety, emphasizes that this research of herbal teas are not representative and therefore refuses to name those varieties that are experiencing the highest content of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Classic teas and all were represented by only a few varieties that do not allow any serious conclusions.
One can only note that the least of carcinogens found in green tea, and that loose teas on average safer than tea bags.
As for the recommendations to consumers of tea, then they are no different from those of the Institute for Risk Assessment has given in respect of honey: when to stop and change often grade. Especially that no legal documents establishing the maximum permissible concentration pyrrolizidine alkaloids in food, either in Germany or in Europe as a whole is not there yet, and completely eliminate the ingress of contaminants into the tea dangerous in its industrial production will hardly be possible in the future.
Vladimir Fradkin
in the wake of dw.de
ComfortingComfry
Susun Weed makes herbal infusion - Comfrey (Symphytum) leaf is free of the compounds (PAs) found in the root that can damage the liver. Comfrey is also known as "knitbone," and no better ally for the woman with thin bones can be found. And, don't forget, comfrey contains special proteins used in the formation of short-term memory cells. Its soothing mucilage adds flexibility to joints, eyes, vagina, and lungs.
An infusion is a large amount of herb brewed for a long time. Typically, one ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar which is then filled to the top with boiling water, tightly lidded and allowed to steep for 4-10 hours. http://herbshealing.com/How_to_make_I...
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