Benefits of green tea
Benefits of green tea
Benefits of green tea
Green tea is an exceptional source of high-potency anti-cancer molecules that make it one of the key elements in any anti-cancer diet. Whether the teas are green, black or wulong, they are all from the same plant. But their characteristics change according to the drying process of the leaves.
During the fermentation process used for the manufacture of black tea, modifications occur in the nature of the polyphenols causing their oxidation and the production of the black pigments. This oxidation eliminates almost all the anti-cancer potential of polyphenols.
Green teas are the ones that undergo the least transformation.
Studies carried out in recent years have shown the benefits of green tea on cancer prevention especially for bladder, prostate, breast and stomach cancers. It is a powerful antioxidant, a detoxifier. It facilitates the death of cancer cells and acts on the process of angiogenesis. In the laboratory, it increases the effects of radiotherapy on cancer cells.
How to drink it?
- An infusion of less than 5 minutes only extracts 20% of the total polyphenol content while infusing the tea for 8–10 minutes extracts all of the polyphenol present in the tea. It is recommended that you infuse 2 g of green tea for 10 minutes and drink it within the hour.
- Adding lemon to your green tea multiplies by 5 the amount of catechins absorbed by your body.
- However, a study published in the medical journal European Heart Journal states that you should never drink green tea with milk. Milk destroys the benefits of green tea and decreases the catechin concentration in the tea.
- Dark chocolate
Sources and references
Last medical and editorial review: April 2024. See our web page validation committee and our collaborators by clicking here.