Green Tea Doesn’t Prevent Breast Cancer

Green teaGreen tea contains polyphenols and other antioxidants that many people think will help to protect them against cancer.

It’s true that breast cancer rates are lower in several Asian countries where green tea is commonly consumed, compared to rates in the United States where breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women.

So researchers associated with the National Cancer Center in Tokyo, Japan, conducted a study of 54,000 women and carefully documented their tea-drinking habits. In this study, 12% of women drank less than one cup of green tea per week representing a low intake of tea. The highest tea consumption was found in the 27% of women who drank five or more cups every day.

Researchers followed the women in this study for 14 years. During this period of time, several hundred cases of breast cancer occurred among the women. There was no association with how much green tea they consumed.

Green tea does NOT prevent breast cancer.