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Loading...FDA Warns Green Tea Makers about Health Claims
The makers of two brands of green tea drinks received warnings from the Food and Drug Administration about their unauthorized claims regarding the nutritional value of its products.
A warning letter dated August 23 went to Unilever, Inc. about its Lipton Green Tea 100% Naturally Decaffeinated, saying that claims about the tea’s antioxidant content and linking of green tea to lower cholesterol makes the tea a drug and subject to proof of safety and effectiveness. The letter goes on to say, “The therapeutic claims on your website establish that the product is a drug because it is intended for use in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. Your Lipton Green Tea 100% Natural Naturally Decaffeinated product is not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced uses and, therefore, the product is a new drug…”
The August 30 warning to Dr Pepper Snapple Group, makers of Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale, said the carbonated drink is classified as a snack food and does not meet federal requirements to carry the claim that it is “enhanced with 200 mg of antioxidants from green tea and vitamin C” and that the ingredients are “not nutrients with recognized antioxidant activity.”
A recent post on LiveScience suggested that home-brewed green or black tea contains more antioxidants than store-bought bottled teas — some containing amounts so tiny that you would have to drink 20 bottles to get the antioxidants equal to one cup of tea. Store-bought bottled teas also may contain large amounts of sugar.
According the LA Times, the letters are the latest in a series of warnings about nutritional claims by food makers and part of an FDA campaign to improve food labeling. Companies that receive warning letters are 15 days to respond with a plan for correction the errors.
The FDA is rightly concerned about the health claims of store-bought bottled tea, but don’t get the wrong idea — tea is still good for you.
The Real Health Benefits of Green Tea
Store-bought bottled teas aside, the Harvard Women’s Health Watch says that drinking green tea is healthy, largely due to its high content of flavonoids. Studies have linked drinking green tea with reduced risk for some cancers and heart disease.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) looked at research on stroke and tea consumption and suggested that three cups of green or black tea a day could reduce the risk of ischemic stroke by 20 percent.
In countries where green-tea drinking is common, three cups per day is normal. The best way to get the health benefits of tea is to drink it freshly brewed. Enjoy!
Related Reading on Care2:
Read more: Antioxidents, black tea, cancer, fda, green tea, health claims, health policy, healthcaretmc, heart disease, stroke, tea
Photo: photoxpress.com
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+ add your ownThanks for the info.
I don't believe any thing the FDA has to say they only seem to want to help large pharmeceutical companies. They approve drugs that two to ten years later are found to cause death or some life long ailment. They love their chemicals and seem to hate and protest anything natural.
It may be an idea for these Green Tea importers to make a substantial donation towards the running of the FDA?
In the last year I have began drinking green tea daily, usually store brought. The stomach issues I was having are gone even though I enjoy spicy foods very much. I feel better, have more energy, and at 56 believe it has greatly improved my overall health. Due I'm sure by the decrease in soda consumption as well. I don't care who believes what. I just know it has helped me feel better and I sing the praises of its benefits to all who care to know. I really wish I had started years ago.
I drink the green tea that's imported FROM Japan. It's the best. I love it.
Everyone knows benefits of green tea anyway, why keep marketing it? Or maybe people are increasingly suspicious of processed foods, that those key ingredients have been removed (along with caffeine in this instance). Noone sticks 'antioxidant, vit C' labels on fresh oranges and tomatoes, unless they're processed.
FDA can be bought off (just ask BIG may-cause-side-effects Pharma). I'm surprised these 2 large corporations haven't paid up.
Think twice before you open your mouth.....to eat or drink anything.This way you escape food poisoning and weight gain!
I like tea. It's good to change it up.
Hey, its all bad for ya! "George Carlin"
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