According to reseachers at the Arizona Cancer Center, a concentrate from green tea boosted the production of key detoxification enzymes in people with low levels of these proteins.In the study, which consisted of 42 people, the green tea concentrate boosted production of enzymes in the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family by as much as 80 percent in some individuals. The concentrate contained a component of green tea, catechins, equal to that of 8-16 cups of tea.
GST enzymes are believed to change cancer-causing molecules to inert molecules that cannot react with DNA.
Previous studies have shown that populations that consume green tea, such as the Chinese and the Japanese, have lower rates of cancer. The National Cancer Institute is sponsoring a series of scientific studies involving green tea, including this one.
