Green tea has a reputation as a superfood that can prevent everything from weight gain to cancer. Find out whether the beverage lives up to its billing.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
The Claim: Green tea is good for you.
Green tea has long had a reputation as a “superfood” that can do everything from improving memory to burning fat. While the beverage may have some benefits, many of the claims are steeped in exaggeration.
Green tea is rich in antioxidants called Catechins, especially one known as EGCG.
That’s thought to explain why green tea appears to improve cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
Studies also show that drinking lots of tea – meaning 3 to 5 cups a day or more – is associated with lower rates of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and premature death.
The evidence is weaker when it comes to other purported effects such as warding off cancer, improving memory, or promoting weight loss. And there’s no proof that green tea is more healthful overall than black tea or coffee.
A type of green tea called Matcha – which has become popular as a beverage and an ingredient in foods – is promoted as especially beneficial.
Made by grinding tea leaves into a powder, it has higher levels of EGCG than regular green tea. But so far there’s no evidence that Matcha is any better for you.
Watch out for store-bought smoothies, lattes, and other drinks made with green tea, which can have lots of sugar and calories.
The same goes for bottled green tea.
And steer clear of green tea supplements, which have been found to cause liver damage.
Green tea can interfere with certain medications. So if you drink at least several cups a day and take prescription medicine, it’s a good idea to check with a doctor or pharmacist. Otherwise, green tea can be a healthy addition to your diet, especially if it replaces soda or other sugary beverages. Just remember it’s a drink, not a wonder drug.
For more on diet and nutrition claims, check out my book, Coffee is Good For You… which reveals the truth about everything from red meat to red wine.
Helping you be a healthy skeptic, I’m Robert Davis.