Long ago in China, tea was an ingredient in immortality potions
favored by the Taoists, who were keen on that subject. Still today,
perhaps as an echo of those beliefs, claims are made that tea
drinking helps one to live to a ripe oils ages. While it is no magic
fountain of youth, some of its benefits can be said to contribute to
longevity (stimulation of bodily functions, strengthening the immune
system, reducing the chance of heart disease and improving stomach
functions). The fluoride in tea can strengthen bones and help ward
off osteoporosis in the same way that it strengthens dental enamel.
Investigation into whether tea has any further effect on longevity
and, if so, why, is only just beginning.
Chinese researchers found that 1% jasmine tea extended the life of
fruit flies to 40.5 days, more than double that of the control
group, which drank plain water and had a life span of 16.5 days. On
a 5% solution they lived 28.6 days. Oolong tea, in other tests,
doubled the lifespan.
Thus far, it is not understood what compounds in tea could have this
effect on inserts, and it would obviously require much additional
research to determine whether such reported effects of tea on the
span of insects' lives could be duplicated in an entirely different
species.
