Apparently a some
scientists in Spain and Britain think this might be the case. Researchers in
both countries have been able to show a specific compound found in green
tea known as EGCG (which the AP article on green tea did not disclose
what this acronym really stands for) has the power to inhibit the growth of
cancer cells.
EGCG looks to accomplish the remarkable feat of preventing cancer cell growth by inhibiting a special enzyme, dihydrofolate reductase and according to a Professor Roger Thorneley of the John Innes Center in Norwich "This’s the 1st time, to our knowledge, a known target for an anti-cancer drug has been identified as being inhibited by EGCG".
The great news for green tea afficionados, is that green tea contains about 5 times as much EGCG as regular tea.
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However, as Professor Thorneley states that, so far there has been no determination as to how much green tea a person would need to consume to obtain the beneficial effects provided by this compound.
But since he also goes on record to state that EGCG may be just one of several ingredients in green tea that have such properties, there's verily no reason to stop drinking green tea.
Unless you are a pregnant woman, that is. Women that are pregnant are given the advice that folic acid supplements may protect newborns against spina bifida. Apparently, green tea, if took in large amounts, might have the effect of decreasing folic acid's effectiveness.
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