Most of us are aware of the antioxidant properties of green tea and many drink it hoping to attain a youthful and glowing complexion. But now this refreshing health beverage may soon have another benefit added to its long list, reports the Daily Mail.
Researchers at the Seoul National University Hospital in South Korea are attempting to find out if green tea can also lower the risk of getting colon cancer. Their study involves 180 participants, who have had polyps - benign growths - removed from their colon earlier, to prevent colon cancer.
The researchers will give the patients a daily green tea extract pill (equivalent to nine cups of green tea) or no treatment. They believe that compounds in green tea could prevent rogue cells that could lead to polyps from developing.
An earlier study by Gifu University in Japan showed that just 15 per cent of patients, who had the equivalent of ten cups of green tea a day, had a recurrence of polyps compared with 31 per cent recurrence in the untreated group.
