Does Green Tea Reduce the Risk of Stomach Cancer?

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Do the antioxidants in green tea prevent cancer? Science cannot answer that question definitively, but new research suggests that you should “go with your gut” and drink lots of green tea. The International Journal Gut published a study in October 2009, finding a strong correlation between drinking green tea and avoiding stomach cancer among women.

This new research deserves all the attention it has garnered from Reuters and other media for two reasons: Gut is an authoritative gastroenterology journal—part of the highly regarded family of British Medical Journal publications. And the new research combines six previous studies totaling 219,080 Japanese men and women over 11 years: that represents 2,285,968 person-years of follow-up. That’s a lot of data, which helps validate its conclusion: “Green tea may decrease the risk of distal gastric cancer in women.”

Specifically, women who drank five or more cups of green tea a day had 20% less stomach cancer than women who drank one cup or less. Other new research that we’ve noted at Bigelowtea.com describes a cancer-fighting compound recently discovered in green tea. According to researchers, the compound, called EGCG, could be used to make new anti-cancer drugs.

The American Cancer Society notes that “changes in diet have helped lower the rate of stomach cancer.” One day tea will undoubtedly be added to the list of foods (such as fruits and vegetables) that ACS recommends, but for now, enjoy Bigelow Green Tea for its other many health properties — as well as its taste!