With reported benefits ranging from reducing the risk of cancer and diabetes to increased metabolism and mental clarity, green tea seems like the ultimate late night infomercial snake oil product. However scientific research tends to support the anecdotal stories that green tea is truly a boon to overall health on many fronts.

Reduced Risks of Cancer

The consumption of green tea has long been prescribed in Eastern cultures for general medicinal purposes. Recent research has proved strong evidence that green tea can reduce the risk of lung, prostate, and breast cancer. Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols and the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), both of which have been shown in clinical studies to have cancer fighting properties.

A recent study was conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute that showed animals on a diet supplemented with catechin polyphenols experienced a reduction in the number and size of tumors. The catechin was observed to inactivate oxidants before cell damage occurred, thus reducing the effects of the cancerous tumors. Another study conducted at Kyushu University in Japan demonstrated that growth of human lung cancer was significantly reduced by the consumption of EGCG.