Tea leaves may not always be able to predict the future, but they may be helpful in protecting against cancer. According to a study by Purdue University researchers Dorothy Morre, Ph.D., professor of foods and nutrition at the School of Consumer and Family Sciences, and her husband D. James Morre, professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology, green tea leaves are rich in EGCg, a compound that inhibits an enzyme necessary for cancer cell growth. Moreover, the laboratory study of cultured cells found that the compound is able to slow or prevent cancer growth without harming healthy cells.
Earlier epidemiological studies have linked regular tea drinking with a lowered incidence of cancers of the esophagus, kidney, bladder and colon. But until now, most studies have associated tea's cancer-fighting ability with its antioxidants.
