Smart Beverage Pairing: How Tea & Coffee Reduce Damage From Less-Than-Ideal Foods

What if your beverage could help protect you when your meal isn’t perfect?

In this episode from Prevail Over Cancer™, Clinical Nutritionist and Cancer Coach Keith Bishop, RPh explains how tea and coffee act as powerful “beverage buffers”—helping reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and carcinogenic exposure from common modern foods.

When traveling, eating out, or attending social events, food choices aren’t always ideal. Strategic beverage pairing is a simple, evidence-supported habit that may reduce damage caused by:
• Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)
• Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs)
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Oxidative stress and inflammation
• Excess glucose and lipid oxidation

☕ HOW TEA & COFFEE HELP

Tea and coffee contain polyphenols, catechins, chlorogenic acids, and antioxidants that:
• Neutralize free radicals
• Reduce post-meal oxidative stress
• Improve insulin sensitivity
• Slow sugar and fat absorption
• Support liver detox pathways
• Reduce activation of dietary carcinogens
• Modulate cancer-related signaling pathways

🍵 TEA BENEFITS

• Associated with reduced head and neck cancer risk
• One cup/day linked to ~9% lower overall cancer risk
• Each additional cup/day linked to ~10% lower cancer progression risk
• Green tea EGCG strongly reduces inflammation and oxidative stress

☕ COFFEE BENEFITS

• Lower risk of oral, throat, and head/neck cancers
• 4 cups/day linked to significant risk reduction
• Decaf coffee still provides protection
• Each additional cup/day reduces colorectal cancer progression risk by ~10%

🍽️ SMART BEVERAGE PAIRING GUIDE

• Fried or grilled foods → Green or black tea
• High-sugar or high-carb meals → Coffee or cinnamon herbal tea
• Processed or high-fat foods → Green, oolong, or black tea
• Red or processed meats → Coffee or green tea
• Late-night meals → Herbal teas (ginger, peppermint, rooibos)

🌿 POLYPHENOL BOOSTERS

Add these to tea or coffee for extra protection:
• Raw cacao or 70%+ cacao
• Cinnamon
• Turmeric + black pepper
• Ginger
• Cardamom
• Cloves
• Lemon (especially with green or black tea)

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTES

• Avoid excess sugar and artificial creamers
• Milk proteins can reduce polyphenol absorption
• Avoid highly sweetened bottled teas
• Those with reflux may prefer low-acid coffee or herbal teas
• Consult your clinician before major caffeine changes

You don’t need a perfect diet. You need strategic habits.
Small daily choices create powerful long-term protection.

Learn more:
🌐 www.PrevailOverCancer.com

📞 405-550-5383

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