You’re going to want to put on the kettle after learning this good news. Just one cup of green tea a day can not only help you fight cancer, but can reduce insulin resistance, lower blood pressure, and reduce belly fat.
Tea leaves are one of the richest sources of polyphenols known to man, and they are a natural source of anti-oxidants that work hard to mop up harmful free radicals in your body. Certain compounds in green tea known as Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) are particularly powerful cancer inhibitors. Why? EGCG works at the cellular level to intervene against various cancers and suppress tumor growth. Green tea’s EGCG benefits are part of the Rath Protocol, which I wrote about it in my book, I Used to Have Cancer.
Of the more than 10 catechin compounds found in tea, EGCG is the most abundant and it accounts for more than 40% of the catechins in green tea leaves. EGCG has also been proven to have the most suppressive effect on cancer. Studies like the one published August 2016 in Nutrients entitled “Suppressive Effects of Tea Catechins on Breast Cancer,” back it up.
Teas are typically classified into three categories based upon the way they are processed:
Unfermented green tea
Semi-fermented Oolong tea
Fully-fermented black tea
According to the aforementioned study, this classification is based on the degree of fermentation, during which catechins are oxidized.
Green Tea and Insulin Resistance
Dr. Eric Berg highlights the connection between cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone) and insulin resistance in this short video. He explains that when you’re exposed to cortisol over a long period of time, it’s like being exposed to a high level of insulin over a long period of time. Your body starts developing what’s commonly called insulin resistance. The body’s adrenals are forced to pump more and more cortisol. Unfortunately, that only compounds the problem.
Cortisol is an important hormone and enables us to move quickly to the “fight or flight” reaction needed in emergency situations. However, when we’re expressing excess stress, whether real or imagined, too much cortisol in the body can result in increased depression, anxiety, increased blood pressure, and increased risk of cancer. An increase in belly fat can be an early warning sign that your cortisol levels are too high, for too long.
It’s EGCG, the compound found in green tea, that works to inhibit the enzyme that converts the inactive to the active form of cortisol to the active form of cortisol.
By consistently drinking this inexpensive green tea every day, studies show that you can significantly lower your cortisol levels, decrease your risk of cancer, reduce your levels of depression, lose the belly fat and improve your overall health.
A Word of Caution
It’s important to select organically grown green tea. Nutritionists such as Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, have warned about the importance of finding a quality tea, one that is not contaminated. Gittleman explains that teas from China and India tend to be the most contaminated, as China is the world’s top pesticide user. Japanese teas tend to be better, but since the Fukushima disaster, we must keep radioactive contamination in mind. In general, organic teas will have fewer pesticides, but may be high in fluoride.
One of her top picks includes Pique Tea that delivers up to 12x the antioxidant polyphenols of regular tea. No wonder it’s more potent and powerful than any other tea on the market! Pique Tea is made from the highest quality tea leaves and natural ingredients that are organic, sugar-free, and free of additives. Another reassurance: the company triple screens for pesticides, mycotoxins, and heavy metals.
Zhang, Y. Miura, K. Yagasaki, “Induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells by in vivo metabolites of teas,” Nutr Cancer (2000); 38(2): 265–273.
Ahmad, P. Cheng, H. Mukhtar, “Cell cycle dysregulation by green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate,” Biochem Biophys Res Commun (Aug 28, 2000); 275(2):328-34. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.2000.3297.
Li-Ping Xiang,1,2 Ao Wang,2 Jian-Hui Ye, et al., “Suppressive Effects of Tea Catechins on Breast Cancer,” Nutrients (Aug 2016); 8(8): 458. doi: 10.3390/nu8080458.
Sun, M. Yin, D. Hao, Y. Shen, “Anti-Cancer Activity of Catechin against A549 Lung Carcinoma Cells by Induction of Cyclin Kinase Inhibitor p21 and Suppression of Cyclin E1 and P–AKT,” Applied Sciences (2020); 10(6), 2065.
Chacko, P. Thambi, R, Kuttan, I. Nishigaki, “Beneficial Effects of Green tea: A Literature Review,” Chinese Medicine (2010); 5: 13. doi: 10.1186/1749-8546-5-13.
James Templeton founded Uni Key Health Systems in 1992 and now the Templeton Wellness Foundation as a way of giving back and helping others achieve the health and wellness they are seeking.