Is green tea extract effective in controlling blood glucose? Is it better just to drink a cup of green tea daily?
It is a good idea to avoid all green tea extract products: they have been clearly associated with liver failure. There's no guarantee that the company making them has quality controls in place to make sure of no contaminants. Likewise, many have been taken off of the market by the FDA because of the inclusion of pharmaceutical-grade medications. There are very poor controls on the supplement industry.
Green tea, on the other hand, has been shown to have health benefits and would be a great choice. It appears to help prevent cancers of the digestive system in general as well as stomach cancer in particular. Tea that's too hot, however, might contribute to esophageal cancer.
This also reinforces the idea that fresh products are good for you and those that are processed are not.
Thanks for writing.
It’s easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to ask@culinarymedicine.org and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest..
Please note that this feature is restricted to questions regarding food and nutrition. Due to the many questions we receive, not all questions may be answered. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy