Cholesterol and Green Tea: Don't Stop Sippin'

An article published in the New York Times on August 23, 2011, seemed to attempt to debunk the fact that green tea can help lower your cholesterol. I was, frankly, a bit disturbed by what I read being a proponent of green tea for quite some time now.

One of the purported benefits of drinking green tea is the effect that it has on lowering LDL cholesterol levels. There have been many studies over the years, and this last year, researches analyzed data from a number of studies and came up with an answer. Their report was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The report stated that green tea's effect on LDL cholesterol levels was minimal, with a change of only about two percent.

Part of the problem I have with this, is that no doubt in the next few years studies will come up with different results. The recent study involved a group of only 1,100 people. Though this sounds like a large number, in the scheme of things, it is really not. Individual's bodies vary greatly, and there could have been a number of factors that skewed the results.

Were these people who drank green tea along with a habit of dining on a lot of burgers and fries? I don't think for one minute that it's been implied that all you have to do to lower your cholesterol is add green tea to an otherwise unhealthy diet. If some think that's true, there is clearly another problem that should be delved into.

For years I had problems with high cholesterol. I rarely ate red meat, and almost never ate high-fat foods such as butter or real mayonnaise. I also exercised consistently, but for some reason my total cholesterol continued to hover around 230-240. It was extremely frustrating.

In 2006, I went to work for Celestial Seasonings Tea company in Boulder, Colorado. I had access to all of the free tea I could ever want, and I finally began the habit of drinking green tea daily. This was in addition to the already fairly healthy diet that I followed.

The following year, I went in for a blood cholesterol check. For the first time in my life, the total was under 200. It had dropped over 30 points. I don't think it was a coincidence. I should also note, that I no longer work for Celestial Seasonings, so this is not a thinly disguised attempt to promote the company, but I do continue to drink their green tea.

I have heard stories like mine time and time again. Even if you believe this recent study, there are a plethora of other benefits that green tea provides, and it's certainly not time to stop drinking it now.

Green tea has powerful antioxidants that can not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells, it can actually kill them. Did you know that drinking green tea can also prevent tooth decay? Its bacteria destroying abilities kills the bacteria that causes dental plaque.

In addition, green tea can prevent cardiovascular disease, boost your immune system, help promote weight loss, fight off allergies and infections, and more.

Though it should go without saying, eating a pound of bacon every day along with drinking green tea is probably going to counteract some of the positive benefits.

Don't let this recent news stop you from drinking green tea, it's one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health.