Green tea consumption improves plasma lipid profiles in adults

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in the Western world. Green tea prepared with leaves of Camellia sinensis is particularly rich in antioxidants, which seem to have a crucial role in atherogenesis. The aim of our investigation was to evaluate the effect of green tea drinking on the lipid profile in 29 Portuguese subjects. The lipid profile included the measurement of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerols, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a). The measurements were performed at the beginning of the study, and after 3 weeks of drinking I L of water, and after 4 weeks of drinking 1 L of green tea daily. Tea was prepared every day at the same conditions of temperature, time of infusion, and concentration. No dilution effect was observed after water drinking. After drinking green tea, a significant beneficial improvement in the lipid profile of subjects was observed. A decrease in cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and ratio of cholesterot/HDL-C, but an increase in HDL-C and apolipoprotein A-I, was observed in the subjects. No significant differences were observed for triacylglycerol and lipoprotein(a). Our data suggest that drinking green tea has a beneficial effect protecting against the risk for cardiovascular disease by improving blood lipid levels. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.