Health Effects of Tea and Its Catechins

This text is a comprehensive overview of the historical use of green tea and a description of its beneficial effects against certain diseases such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, arteriosclerosis, and various forms of senile dementia. It reviews scientific and clinical data, including in vitro and in vivo animal experiments and epidemiologic and clinical experiments on human subjects. It includes the most recent findings on the ability of tea components to inhibit bacteria and influenza and HIV viruses.