In an earlier post Foods That Fight Cancer, I shared a list of 12 foods with cancer-fighting properties according to a book written by Richard Béliveau and Denis Gingras. In today’s post, I’m going to explore the science behind one of the items on that list, green tea. I’ll also look at how I’ve added it to my daily diet thanks to the magic of matcha powder.

The link between lifestyle and cancer

Many people assume that cancer is caused by uncontrollable factors like family history. After I was diagnosed with breast cancer, that’s the first question most people asked. But, I have no family history of breast cancer. When I was diagnosed, my family doctor assured me that, like me, the vast majority of women who get breast cancer have no known risk factors.

The book by Béliveau and Gingras connects only 15% of cancers to hereditary factors and explores the link between controllable lifestyle factors and cancer. According to the book, 30% of all cancers are directly related to poor dietary habits. That’s the same risk as smoking.  Pointing to differences in the incidence of cancer between eastern countries and western countries, the authors set out to identify the anti-cancer molecules in certain foods.

What are the health benefits of green tea?

Asian countries with higher consumption of green tea show significantly lower rates of several types of cancer including breast cancer. This observation led Béliveau and Gingras to explore the anti-cancer properties of green tea.

They learned that one-third of the tea leaf is made up of polyphenols known as flavanols or catechins. The catechin with the highest anti-cancer activity in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.

Not all green teas are equal, though. Catechin content is significantly affected by things like the area of cultivation, processing techniques, and even the brewing time. These variations make it difficult to gather a body of scientific evidence about the benefits of green tea. Although further study is needed, recent studies do show beneficial activity of green tea in the prevention of cancer. And, studies conducted on animals show that green tea can significantly lower the risk of developing tumours.

As a general rule, Japanese green teas generally contain far more EGCG than Chinese teas. To maximize the preventative benefits, the book suggests drinking three freshly brewed cups of Japanese green tea, brewed for eight to ten minutes, every day.

Switching from black tea to green tea

Western culture tends to favour black tea over green tea. That wasn’t always the case in North America, though. Until the 1930s, North Americans preferred green tea to black.

Black tea and green tea both originate from the same plant. However, the fermentation process used to make black tea causes dramatic changes in its molecular structure. This essentially cancels out the cancer-fighting properties of the polyphenols.

I have to be honest; I prefer drinking black tea. After learning of the cancer-fighting potential of green tea after my cancer diagnosis, I switched to green tea. But, I just didn’t like it as much as black tea. I found the taste to be on the bitter side. In the interest of health though, I was determined to drink the recommended three cups a day. But I definitely missed my black tea.

Then, one day, I visited a smoothie bar and tried a matcha smoothie. I did a little research and realized matcha was the solution to getting the health benefits of green tea without having to give up the black tea I enjoy so much!

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What is matcha powder?

Matcha is made by taking young tea leaves and grinding them into powder form. Unlike brewed green tea where you strain the leaves and then throw them away, with matcha you consume the entire leaf. This makes it easier to get your daily dose of EGCG.

When I researched matcha, I learned that one teaspoon of matcha powder contains the nutritional benefits of ten cups of brewed green tea. I was sold.

And, there’s more good news. According to MatchaSource, the health benefits of matcha go beyond its potential cancer-fighting benefits. Other health benefits include:

• Boosting metabolism and burning calories.
• Lowering cholesterol and blood sugar.
• Enhancing mood and assisting concentration.
• Calming the mind and relaxing the body.
• Detoxifying the body.
• Providing an energy boost.

So with all the potential upside and no downside, I decided to incorporate matcha into my daily diet.

Ways to consume matcha

The traditional way to consume matcha is to drink it hot by whisking it into hot water. This is how the tea is served in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Matcha consumed this way is usually of a higher quality, or ceremonial grade.

For me, the easiest way to get my matcha fix is to put a teaspoon in my breakfast smoothie every morning. Check out Build your own nutritious breakfast smoothie for my nutritious recipe. For my smoothies, I use a less expensive cooking-grade matcha powder.

There are many other ways to consume matcha, including:

• Adding it to baked goods by replacing a small amount of flour in your recipe.
• Stirring it into your granola or oatmeal.
• Making a matcha latte by whisking a couple of teaspoons of matcha with a quarter of a cup of hot water. Then, top off with your favourite steamed milk and sweeten with honey, agave or maple syrup.

Give matcha a try today

With all the potential benefits and no real downside, why wouldn’t you add a spoonful of matcha to your daily diet? There’s really nothing to lose.

Have you tried matcha? What’s your favourite way to enjoy it?