Be a tea-totaller: Green Tea Fights Colon Cancer

A new study by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University shows moderate amounts of green and white tea may be just as effective against colon cancer as a commonly prescribed drug. Published in the journal Carcinogenesis (March 2003), the study found that green tea reduced the number of tumours in mice from an average of 30 to 17, and white tea from 30 to 13. The most effective treatment was a combination of the drug Sulindac and white tea, which reduced tumours from 30 to six. The teas' protective effect is thought to be due to their high levels of antioxidant polyphenols, called catechins. Researchers recommend drinking at least three coffee-sized mugs of tea per day-the more the better.

Source: Linus Pauling Institute, http://lpi.oregonstate.edu