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In the mountains in southern China discovered a new species of wild tea plants. It contains almost no caffeine.
Tea tree contains no caffeine / photo / naked-science

Hun-ya-cha — a wild tea plant, common only in the narrow mountainous region at altitudes of 700 to 1000 meters in several neighboring villages in the southern Fujian province.

Locals believe that drinking this tea can lower internal heat, cure colds, relieve stomach pain and much more. However, given the narrow distribution, detailed information about the Khun-I-cha is missing, reports Naked Science.

In a new study published in the journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Dr. Chen and co-authors characterized the chemical components of Khun-I-cha by using high performance liquid chromatography.

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They found that the buds and leaves Hun-I-cha contain some potentially strengthen the health of the connection and virtually no caffeine.

“In a normal tea the major purine alkaloids and catechins are caffeine and catechins, CIS-rows; in hung-I-cha, by contrast, mostly contain TRANS-catechin, theobromine and caffeine are practically invisible,” explain the researchers.

After examining the plant, the team found that the Khun-I-cha is a mutation in the gene for caffeine synthase, the enzyme that contribute to the development of caffeine in most tea plants.

“Hun-I-cha with naturally low levels of caffeine could potentially become a popular drink due to its unique composition and benefits to health”, — concluded scientists.


photos naked-science

Earlier, a new study of U.S. physicians showed that even people who drink 8 cups a day, live a little longer than those who do not drink coffee at all.