Green tea is high in the antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin-3- gallate) which helps prevent the body’s cells from becoming damaged and prematurely aged by fighting free radical damage. Studies have suggested that the combination of green tea and EGCG may also be beneficial by providing protection against certain types of cancers, including breast cancer. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Mississippi researchers now finds that consuming EGCG significantly inhibits breast tumor growth in female mice.

EgCG contains very little caffeine compared to coffee but of course, it can still add up if you start drinking ten cups of the steaming brew a day. And indeed, one clinical trial which has been using ground tea solids as its drug has reported significant side effects including insomnia, fatigue, confusion, nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, and in even vomiting linked to too much consumed caffeine.

Archeological evidence suggests that tea leaves steeped in boiling water were consumed as many as 5,000 years ago. Botanical evidence indicates that India and China were among the first countries to cultivate tea. Although the English are known for their love of tea, Americans invented the tea bag and began the practice of drinking iced tea in the early 1900s. Today, hundreds of millions of people drink tea around the world, and studies are now suggesting that one variety of tea in particular, green tea (Camellia sinensis), has many health benefits.

The plant Camellia sinensis yields both green and black tea. It’s an evergreen shrub or tree that can grow to a height of 30 feet, but is usually maintained at a height of 2 to 3 feet by regular pruning. The shrub is heavily branched, with young hairy leaves. The parts used are the leaf bud, and the two adjacent young leaves together with the stem, broken between the second and third leaf. Older leaves are considered inferior in quality.

If you’re looking to use EgCG for longevity and to guard against age related disease, it only makes sense to get the best backed dose of green tea. Indeed, it’s these kinds of doses – 800 to 1600 milligrams of EgCG per day that are being used in the human clinical trials that have begun in the last few years.

EgCG from Green Tea can be purchased at your local or internet health food store. When looking to purchase green tea, just any brand won’t do. Look for a name brand product from Solaray, Source Naturals, or Natures Plus that is standardized to the active ingredient EgCG to ensure quality and purity as well as potency so that you receive the benefits research has demonstrated.

*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Green tea and EgCG is not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.