There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says, “Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.” I guess they like their caffeine. So is green tea really good for you or is it all a lot of hype and hooey? There must be something to it. Green tea has been used in China for at least 4,000 years to treat everything from headaches to depression.

Normally fads don’t last four millennia. Atkins diet aficionados, give me a call around 6,009 AD.

Recent scientific research in Asia and the United States is providing hard data to back up centuries of circumstantial evidence. Turns out there are many health benefits associated with drinking green tea.

Consider:

• In 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published study that showed a 60% reduction in esophageal cancer by drinking green tea.

• University of Purdue researchers recently concluded there is a compound in green tea that inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

• Other research suggests green tea improves the good to bad cholesterol ratio.

Conditions it likely will help are cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol, infection, cardiovascular disease, and impaired immune function.

What makes green tea so special? It’s rich in powerful anti-oxidants with the special ability to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. Other Chinese teas like oolong and black start out with the same anti-oxidants but are made from fermented leaves, while green tea leaves are steamed.

Even newer evidence from Swiss researchers is showing that drinking green tea helps dieters burn more calories. It also helps prevent tooth decay and will wash your windows when you aren’t looking. The only apparent downside is it can cause mild insomnia due to the caffeine content, although it has much less than a cup of coffee.

How much should you drink? Try starting with four cups a day and see what happens.

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