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Can green tea help lower cholesterol levels?

Over 30% of the dry weight of green tea leaves consists of powerful flavonoid antioxidants such as epicatechins. Researchers have found these can block cholesterol absorption and increase excretion of cholesterol-containing bile salts and fatty acids. Tea antioxidants also increase the breakdown of another potentially harmful type of blood fat, called triglycerides, as well as having a beneficial effect on blood pressure. Compared with non-tea drinkers, having 4 cups of tea per day appears to halve the risk of a heart attack, while the incidence of stroke is halved in people drinking at least 5 cups green tea daily, compared with those drinking less. Another reason you may want to drink green tea, is its possible role in cancer prevention, which is currently under study.

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