Abstract

EA IS THE MOST CONSUMED BEVerage in the world aside from water.Three billion kilograms of tea are produced each year worldwide. 1Because of the high rates of tea consumption in the global population, even small effects in humans could have large implications for public health. 2Tea is generally consumed in the forms of green, oolong, and black tea, all of which originate from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis.4][5][6] Although substantial evidence from in vitro and animal studies indicates that green tea preparations inhibit CVD and carcinogenic processes, the possible protective role of green tea consumption against these diseases in humans remains unclear.If green tea does protect humans against CVD or cancer, it is expected that consumption of this beverage would substantially contribute to the prolonging of life expectancy, given that CVD and cancer are the 2 leading causes of death worldwide. 7To date, 4 studies [8][9][10][11] have examined the association between green tea consumption and mor-