Abstract: A beverage is prepared, which is a beverage containing catechins in ester form (A, mg/L), catechins in free form (B, mg/L), and caffeine (C, mg/L), the contents thereof being (1) (A+B)=500 to 6000 mg/L (2) (A)/(A+B)=0.7 to 1.0 (3) (A)/(C)=6 to 27, such that a high concentration of catechins with high biological functionality, improved flavor and improved product quality with low occurrence of sediment is maintained.

Abstract: A beverage is prepared, which is a beverage containing catechins in ester form (A, mg/L), catechins in free form (B, mg/L), and caffeine (C, mg/L), the contents thereof being (A+B)=500 to 6000 mg/L??(1) (A)/(A+B)=0.7 to 1.0??(2) (A)/(C)=6 to 27,??(3) such that a high concentration of catechins with high biological functionality, improved flavor and improved product quality with low occurrence of sediment is maintained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition or beverage/food for inhibiting the fat absorption, which is derived from a natural material and therefore is safe, and which can be ingested continuously. The composition or beverage/food comprises the following components: (A) theaflavine monogallate; (B) theaflavine; (C) theaflavine digallate; and (D) polyphenol, wherein these components satisfy the following requirements: (1) a weight-based content ratio [(A)/(B)] is 0.4-100%; (2) the weight of the component (A) is larger that that of the component (C); and (3) a weight-based content ratio [A)/(D)] is 0.01-1.0%. The composition or beverage/food can be used for the prevention or treatment of a disease such as arteriosclerosis and an ischemic heart disease (e.g., angina pectoris, myocardial infarction).

Abstract: Provided are a food, a drink and a food/drink material having improved EGCg absorbability, and a method of producing the same, by improving the absorbability of EGCg to be taken in. The contents of caffeine and/or epigallocatechin gallate are regulated so that the ratio by mass of caffeine to epigallocatechin gallate contained in a food, drink, food/drink material or oral ingesta comes close to 0.4.

Abstract: A beverage is prepared, which is a beverage containing catechin in ester form (A), catechin in free form (B), and caffeine (C), the contents thereof being (A)+(B)=500 to 6000 mg/L??(1) (A)/[(A)+(B)]=0.7 to 1.0??(2) (A)/(C)=6 to 27,??(3) to maintain a high concentration of catechin with high biological functionality, with improved flavor and improved product quality in regard to occurrence of sediment and the like.

Abstract: In order to provide a xanthine oxidase inhibitor having as an effective component an extract from highly safe plants, ten kinds of plant materials were compared for the xanthine oxidase inhibition activity, and in consequence Lagerstroemia speciosa (banaba) was found to have the strongest activity. In addition, it was found that the xanthine oxidase inhibition activity was present in an “crude extract” obtained by extracting banaba with hot water or the like, “resin adsorbed components” obtained by adsorbing the crude extract on a styrene-divinyl benzene synthetic resin or the like, and “organic solvent soluble components” obtained by the partition of the resin adsorbed component between water and an organic solvent.

Abstract: In order to provide a xanthine oxidase inhibitor having as an effective component an extract from highly safe plants, ten kinds of plant materials were compared for the xanthine oxidase inhibition activity, and in consequence Lagerstroemia speciosa (banaba) was found to have the strongest activity. In addition, it was found that the xanthine oxidase inhibition activity was present in an “crude extract” obtained by extracting banaba with hot water or the like, “resin adsorbed components” obtained by adsorbing the crude extract on a styrene-divinyl benzene synthetic resin or the like, and “organic solvent soluble components” obtained by the partition of the resin adsorbed component between water and an organic solvent.