Why Green Tea Really Is So Healthy

I've spent nearly all of this month hawking the benefits of tea. I can't even do it enough, there are so many! So, needless to say, I have a little more to impart.

What is considered the crux of green tea's nutritional powerhouse position is an antioxidant called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Sounds a little scary, doesn't it? But hear me out. Because green tea isn't fermented, it retains its EGCG, which allows it to be available to neutralize free radicals. This means it might reduce the risk of cancer, because studies suggest that EGCG inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells and interferes with tumor metabolism.

Those same antioxidants that are present in tea also help the heart by reducing levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol, and relaxing arteries to improve blood flow.

This antioxidant's antibacterial properties might also stave off gum disease and tooth decay and reduce bad breath.

The combination of caffeine with EGCG may also boost metabolism.

Aren't these all things I've said previously? They are. But maybe this explains it just a bit better.

So, drink up! Cook with it! Heck, bathe in it! But mostly, just enjoy it!

Green and white fusion tea.

And once the tea is gone, I get to see this at the bottom of the cup: