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Green tea shown to lower cholesterol

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

A cup of green tea may be just what the doctor ordered for individuals who are looking to improve their cholesterol test scores. A new study has found that the beverage lowers levels of dangerous LDL cholesterol while supporting healthy levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol.

However, there was one catch. The team of Chinese researchers who conducted the study found that the decrease in cholesterol was relatively minor.

For the study, investigators from Peking Union Medical College in Beijing analyzed the results of 14 previously published studies that looked at the benefits of green tea. The findings showed that individuals who drank green tea or took supplements for anywhere from three weeks to three months reduce their LDL cholesterol levels by 2 percent.

While this may not be a terribly large decrease, it could mean a lot to a person who has slightly high cholesterol levels and is trying to keep them from getting out of control.

Green tea should not take the place of cholesterol-lowering medications, the researchers told Reuters Health, but it could be a useful complement to any efforts to improve a patient's heart health.