Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
What sets Green Tea  apart  is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed,
which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized.
The secret of Green Tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills
 cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL
cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.
The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis
(the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice
as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among
 Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Green Tea  protects against high cholesterol in 7 different ways:
 
•Blocks cholesterol: Green tea blocks intestinal absorption of cholesterol up to 89%.

• Green tea lowers cholesterol even on high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets.

• Lowers total cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol:
Green tea lowers total cholesterol up to 11% for people with high cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol up to 16%.

• Prevents artery blockages: EGCG from green tea prevents 73% of new blockages (atherosclerosis) from bad (LDL) cholesterol.

• Stops cholesterol from going "bad": Green tea antioxidants help prevent damage that creates "bad" cholesterol.

• Eliminates cholesterol: Green tea increases elimination of cholesterol in bile.

• Protects your liver: Green tea protects your liver from damage from high cholesterol.


Most research on Green Tea  and cholesterol show that benefits become most noticeable with daily intake of 5 cups daily.