Green tea is not a new concept. The Chinese and the Japanese have used it for years. Why is it now becoming so prevalent here in America?

Green tea has been used for over 4,000 years. Folklore maintains it promotes longevity, decreases cholesterol, decreases heart conditions and also helps to decrease cancer. However, the reason it’s become popular is because there’s abundant scientific evidence showing the benefits of green tea. In fact, within the past three years alone, over 50 different scientific articles have appeared in the literature which support the use of green tea for helping to prevent, treat and, in some cases, kill cancer cells.

You may be surprised to know that green tea comes from the same tree that black tea comes from. Green tea is different from black tea in that it doesn’t undergo the degree of oxidation that black tea does. Because of this, helpful antioxidants are found in much greater concentrations within green tea than they are in black tea.

Scientists believe that the protective effects of green tea arise out of a group of polyphenols called catechins. Polyphenols are a class of compounds that have strong anti-oxidant properties — meaning they have the ability to stop carcinogen-producing enzymes. The commonly drank black tea has three to ten percent polyphenols. Green tea, on the other hand, contains 30 to 42 percent polyphenols.