Reviewed records available

Green tea

Camellia sinensis

A meta-analysis that pooled green tea drinks and extracts found a small average drop in LDL cholesterol and no significant change in HDL. Matcha is powdered whole leaf, but direct human evidence for matcha-specific health outcomes remains limited. Neither finding shows that green tea prevents heart attacks or strokes.

Evidence snapshot reviewed October 16, 2026

Check the botanical identity in the Plant Atlas →

Botanical identity

Which plant this profile means

This profile is tied to Camellia sinensis and keeps brewed tea, powdered whole-leaf matcha, and concentrated catechin or EGCG extracts separate.

Scientific name
Camellia sinensis
WCVP taxon ID
2694880
Atlas record
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Preparation boundaries

Same plant, different exposure

These forms stay separate in the evidence bank. A result for one cannot be copied onto the others.

tea or infusion

leaf · Taken by mouth

Brewed green tea is not equivalent to a concentrated catechin or EGCG extract.

whole leaf powder

finely powdered leaf · Taken by mouth

Matcha suspends and consumes powdered Camellia sinensis leaf. It is not interchangeable with a strained infusion or a standardized concentrated catechin or EGCG extract, and its composition varies by product and serving.

Mixed preparations

leaf-derived beverage or extract · Taken by mouth

A pooled beverage-and-extract analysis must not erase the different exposure and safety profile of concentrated extracts.

Standardized extract

leaf-derived catechin extract · Taken by mouth

Concentrated extract safety findings do not describe ordinary brewed tea exposure.

Research-bot status

Some evidence cards are public. The rest of the queue isn’t.

The reviewed cards below cleared a separate publication check. The remaining candidate extractions stay private until their source, wording, and preparation match are reviewed.

Sources in review
2
Possible claims found
3
Still awaiting review
1
Blocked source
0

Research connections

What this ingredient has been studied around

Blood lipids

A reviewed, preparation-specific evidence card is published for this source.

Reviewed evidence

1 source-linked record

Evidence synthesis Mixed or uncertain 14 trials with 1,136 adults

Green tea and blood lipids: a small LDL change, no HDL change

Across fourteen trials, green tea beverages or extracts produced a small average drop in LDL cholesterol and no significant change in HDL cholesterol. Pooling drinks and extracts makes the result broad, but it also makes it harder to tell what a particular product would do. The size of the LDL change does not support presenting green tea as a replacement for indicated lipid treatment.

What was studied
Green tea beverages and green tea extracts pooled together; concentrated extracts are a different exposure from brewed tea
Setting
Mixed treatment settings
Why it ranks here
The LDL direction was positive but small, HDL did not change, and the pooled exposure mixed beverages with concentrated extracts.
Limits and cautions
  • The analysis pooled brewed green tea with concentrated extracts.
  • The average LDL change was small.
  • The review measured lipid markers, not heart attacks, strokes, or mortality.
  • The statistically null HDL result should not be converted into a benefit claim.
  • This older synthesis does not settle the distinct safety questions around concentrated green tea extracts.

Brewed tea and concentrated extract capsules do not share the same exposure or safety profile. This record does not recommend changing cholesterol medicine or using an extract as a substitute for care.

Profile sources

Read the source material