June 20, 2019
They promote health and are of enormous economic importance, particularly for producing countries: 140 participants, including scientists from 40 countries and practitioners from the industry, will participate in the "CoCoTea 2019" conference at Jacobs University from 26 to 28 June. Topics on the agenda include food safety, the effects of climate change and the health effects of tea, coffee, and cocoa. "The entire spectrum will be highlighted in 60 lectures," says Nikolai Kuhnert, professor of chemistry at Jacobs University and chair of the conference.
As diverse as the products are, their health effects are still similar due to their high content of polyphenols and antioxidants. The average European absorbs about 60 percent of the required antioxidants through coffee, tea, and cocoa, but only ten percent each through fruit and vegetables. Coffee lowers the blood sugar level and can thus prevent diabetes mellitus. Tea and cocoa have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.