Green tea: a flavonoid-rich superfood

Can green tea improve our health?

Green tea is consistently ranked among the healthiest beverages and could be considered the most widely consumed superfood.

The mechanism through which green tea could exert its effect on our body and brain depends on the bioactive compounds it contains, such as caffeine and L-theanine, two molecules that directly affect brain function.

Even if black and green tea might look similar, there are differences in their production process and in their antioxidant content. Of particular interest to the topic of this week is the fact that green tea is very rich in a molecule called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG.

EGCG belong to the same group of molecules as cocoa flavonoids do and therefore, could exert their effect through similar mechanisms. Just like other flavonoids, EGCG is also a potent antioxidant in vitro, and could help fight free radicals and oxidative damage in our body.

According to scientific data and to the conclusion of the European Food Safety Authority, green tea is considered to be safe when prepared and consumed in the traditional ways, but the majority of studies on EGCG have been conducted in vitro, and there is no conclusive evidence of a health benefit coming from green tea consumption.

Therefore, while green tea can be considered a healthy beverage (apart from the sugar used to sweeten it), it cannot be considered neither a cure nor a preventative measure for some illnesses.