b>You may, or may not have heard of the powers of green tea before, but the fact is, in China it has been used as medicine for over 4,000 years.

It's only in recent years however the western world has taken notice and started looking into its many benefits.

So what's so special about this tea you ask? Well, the main benefit of green tea is its high level of powerful antioxidants called catechin polyphenols, the one that stands out is called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). These antioxidants have shown to be very effective against many serious diseases like cancer, heart related diseases, ability to lower blood sugar levels, and several others which we will look closer at in a minute.

Let's take a closer look at the benefits of green tea.

* Prevents the growth of cancer cells The antioxidants in green tea has been shown to prevent the growth of cancer cells.

* Lower LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol Studies show that green tea can lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol and increase the good (HDL) cholesterol .

* Reduce high blood pressure It has been shown that green tea can lower blood pressure and help prevent hypertension.

* Give the immune system a boost A study has shown that green tea has the highest amount of antioxidants (EGCG), and that this antioxidant is over 100 times stronger than Vitamin C.

* Kills bacteria, helps deter food poisoning It has been shown that green tea kills bacteria, and that it can be very helpful in avoiding e.g. food poisoning and diarrhea.

* Can help prevent tooth decay Green tea's abillity to kill bacteria can also help prevent tooth decay by killing the bacteria's causing dental plaque.

Another benefit welcomed by many is the effect green tea has on weight loss, or rather its effect on energy expenditure resulting in weight loss. It also helps regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite.