We’ve all heard of the tremendous antioxidant, anti-cancer and even fat-fighting benefits of drinking green tea. But did you know that green tea can also help fight and prevent viral infections like influenza and the common cold?
Whether gargled, consumed as a tea, or in encapsulated extract format, the evidence for green tea’s antiviral effects is mounting. It’s even effective and safe in children. In a study involving 2050 elementary school students 6-13 years of age, consumption of 1-5 cups (200 mL per cup) green tea daily was inversely associated with incidence of flu in these children (Park 2011).
Green tea has also been successfully used topically to treat and prevent genital warts caused by HPV (human papilloma virus) (Tzeitos 2011).
Get the full antiviral scoop here: Green Tea: Antiviral Effects. Integrated Healthcare Practitioners, April/May 2012..