Can Tea Lower Cholesterol? Evidence-Based Benefits of Green & Black Tea

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found naturally in all of the body's cells. It helps to perform certain bodily functions and form cell membranes. But too much cholesterol can cause health problems such as heart attack and clogged arteries. Recent medical studies have shown that green tea and black tea may be helpful in lowering high levels of cholesterol.

Tea Study

• One of the most comprehensive studies on the effects of tea on cholesterol was done in China and led by Dr. David J. Maron, a Vanderbilt University Medical Center researcher. The double-blind study gave 240 male and female participants a 375 mg capsule containing flavonoids from green tea and black tea. One capsule was the same as drinking seven cups of black tea or 35 cups of green tea. The results of the experiment were positive, showing a 16 percent drop in levels of cholesterol in the participants.
  The study supports the idea that drinking tea can help lower cholesterol, but it does not advocate tea as the primary method of treating high cholesterol. Drug therapy and a healthy diet are still considered the main methods of reducing cholesterol. Much more evidence is needed to definitively proclaim tea as useful in treating high cholesterol. Moreover, the study was done in 2003 and there have not been any follow-up studies to confirm the findings.
  Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a trusted medical professional who often appears on CNN to dispense medical advice, agrees that this study is a step in the right direction, but that more evidence is needed to begin recommending tea to people with high cholesterol.
  Researchers agree that more studies need to be conducted before a more definitive conclusion can be reached regarding the true effect of tea on cholesterol.