Learn about the health benefits of tea - the world's most popular drink - at the Science Museum, where a new exhibition feauturing tea's ingredients and functions is on show until March 31.

The exhibition will also display research findings by Hong Kong University's Department of Pharmacology professor Dr Marcel Koo.

Tea, produced from the Camellia sinensis plant, can be processed into green tea, oolong tea and black tea according to the degree of oxidation or fermentation. The major constituents of tea are catechins, which make up 30% of the weight of dry leaves.

According to Dr Koo's findings, tea can lower cholesterol, prevent atherosclerosis, reduce body fat, maintain body weight, inhibit Helicobacter pylori, fight ageing, improve memory, suppress bladder cancer and increase bone density.

His experiment results also show catechins are present in sufficient quantities in a single cup of tea to produce a beneficial effect. Regular consumption of green tea, in particular, is proven to be safe and relatively inexpensive while significantly improving people's health.

For details about the exhibition, call 2732 3232 or click here.