For centuries in Chinese medicine, green tea has been used to improve digestion, decrease flatulence, and improve mental alertness. Green tea is now regarded as an important antioxidant, promoting cardiovascular health, through “falvonoids” such as EGCG, a more powerful antioxidant than Vitamin E. Some reports also assign to green tea diuretic, antifungal, and immune-enhancing properties. Green tea is reported to lower cholesterol by inhibiting the lipid peroxidation of the more harmful low-density lipoprotein and to inhibit abnormal blood clotting. Drinking one or more cups of tea a day was associated with a 44% reduced risk of heart attack (American Journal of Epidemiology,1999. 149 (2)) No study has shown a significant weight loss associated with drinking tea, green or otherwise.
Surprisingly, both green and black tea come from the same plant.