An Increasing Number of People Drinking Green Tea for Health? What Studies Reveal About "What to Expect and What Not to Expect"

For Japanese people, green tea is an incredibly familiar beverage.

Some drink it with breakfast, others have a cup during work breaks or after meals. It's commonly found in convenience stores and vending machines, and many drink it as a part of daily life rather than specifically for health reasons.

However, in recent years, green tea has been gaining renewed attention in the health sector.

The keyword here is "inflammation."

In August 2026, the American health and nutrition media outlet EatingWell introduced the potential effects of drinking green tea daily on inflammation in the body, based on explanations from dietitians and research findings.

The key component is "catechins," which are abundantly found in green tea.

However, there is something important to note from the start.

The statement "green tea is expected to have anti-inflammatory effects" is not the same as saying "drinking green tea will cure chronic inflammation."

In fact, a closer look at recent studies reveals both the potential and the limitations of green tea.

Why is "inflammation" gaining attention in the first place?

Many people might imagine red, swollen wounds or fever when they hear the word inflammation.

Inflammation is fundamentally a necessary response to protect the body.

When bacteria or viruses invade the body, or when tissues are damaged, the immune system responds to address the problem, causing inflammation in the process.

Such temporary inflammation is essential for human survival.

The problem arises with "chronic inflammation," where the inflammatory response is weak yet persists over a long period.

Chronic inflammation has been studied for its links to various lifestyle diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the idea of controlling chronic inflammation through not just medication but also diet, exercise, and sleep has gained attention in recent years.

This is where green tea emerges as a potential candidate.

What exactly are the "catechins" that play a leading role in green tea?

Green tea contains catechins, a type of polyphenol.

Among them, "EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate)" is particularly well-researched.

The name EGCG might sound like a chemical, but it is a naturally occurring component in the green tea we regularly drink.

One reason for its attention is its antioxidant properties.

In the human body, reactive oxygen species and other substances are produced through metabolism and other processes. While not all reactive oxygen species are harmful, a significant imbalance in their production and processing can increase "oxidative stress," burdening cells and other structures.

This oxidative stress is closely related to inflammatory responses.

Catechins work as antioxidants, and by suppressing oxidative stress, they are thought to potentially impact inflammatory responses as well.

In other words,

"Drinking green tea"
↓
"Consuming catechins"
↓
"Possibly aiding in defense against oxidative stress"
↓
"Possibly having a positive impact on inflammatory responses"

is the flow.

It's a very appealing idea, but the human body is not that simple.

In fact, actual research results vary significantly.

Research shows results like "inflammation decreased"

A systematic review and meta-analysis targeting individuals with metabolic syndrome and related diseases, published in 2024, examined 15 randomized controlled trials, with 12 included in the meta-analysis.

The results showed a significant decrease in an inflammation-related substance called "TNF-α" due to green tea consumption.

TNF-α is a type of cytokine related to inflammatory responses and serves as one indicator of the level of inflammation occurring in the body.

Looking at this result alone,

one might be inclined to expect, "Green tea does indeed have anti-inflammatory effects."

However, the same study did not confirm clear improvements in other inflammation markers like CRP and IL-6.

In other words, not all inflammation-related numbers improved uniformly.

This is very important.

The phrase "inflammation decreases" tends to be spoken of as a whole, but research measures multiple markers. It's not uncommon for there to be changes in one indicator but not in another.

In 2025, different results for "antioxidant" and "anti-inflammatory"

A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials targeting adults, published in 2025, also reported intriguing results.

Green tea consumption showed improvements in some indicators of the body's antioxidant status.

On the other hand, regarding inflammation markers, no clear improvement effects were confirmed overall, except for IL-1β.

What can be understood from this is that "expecting antioxidant effects" and "inflammation markers necessarily decreasing" should not be equated.

Even if the mechanism at the cellular level is promising, it doesn't necessarily lead to changes large enough to be measured in human blood tests.

In health information, this intermediate process is often omitted, and

"There are antioxidant effects"

↓

"It suppresses inflammation"
↓
"It prevents disease"

is sometimes explained in a straight line.

But the reality of science is much more complex.

Furthermore, in 2026, a study showed "no change even with high doses"

An intriguing study was published in 2026.

It analyzed changes when postmenopausal women who were overweight or obese consumed green tea extract for one year.

This study compared a group consuming green tea extract containing a high dose of approximately 843mg of EGCG per day with a placebo group.

Researchers examined CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and others.

The results were unexpected.

Even after a year of consumption, no statistically significant differences in these inflammatory cytokines were confirmed between the groups.

In other words,

the possibility was suggested that "the more EGCG you consume, the more inflammation decreases" is not a simple relationship.

Of course, this result alone cannot completely deny the anti-inflammatory effects of green tea.

The study subjects were women with specific conditions, and the number was limited. Also, concentrated green tea extract was used, not green tea itself.

Nevertheless, it is an important result that questions the idea that "the more you consume, the better."

Why do research results differ?

So why do studies exist that say "there was an effect" and others that say "there was no change"?

Several reasons can be considered.

First, the differences in the people being studied.

The magnitude of change might differ between healthy individuals and those with high inflammation markers when consuming the same green tea.

Next, the method of consumption.

Some studies involve drinking green tea brewed in a teapot, while others use concentrated green tea extract capsules.

Furthermore, the amount and duration of consumption vary by study.

Some studies last a few weeks, while others continue for several months or a year.

Diet, exercise, weight, sleep, smoking, and drinking habits also affect inflammation.

Therefore, it's not easy to conclude that "drinking green tea lowers inflammation" in isolation.

On social media, voices say "start drinking today," while others react more calmly

The health benefits of green tea have long been a popular topic on social media.

On platforms like X, posts introducing EGCG as having "expected antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects" are repeatedly shared.

Particularly popular are reactions appreciating the ease of incorporating it into daily life, such as

"Replacing some coffee with green tea,"

"Since it's unsweetened, it's easy to continue,"

"If something I usually drink also has health benefits, that's great."

On the international forum Reddit, users positively discuss the health benefits of green and black teas, mentioning "getting polyphenols" and "making it a daily habit."

Some even share personal "experiences" of feeling more focused or different in mood after starting to drink green tea.

On the other hand, there are also quite calm reactions.

"Is there a link to the research?"

"Isn't there a difference between having health benefits and preventing disease?"

"Focusing only on green tea while ignoring the overall diet is oversimplifying."

Such cautious opinions are very important perspectives considering the current research situation.

On social media, information like "just drink this every day to be healthy" tends to spread easily.

However, actual research often shows that "some indicators are promising, but others show no change."

Moreover, posts on social media are not scientific surveys or public opinion polls. Since they include personal anecdotes and opinions, they cannot be treated as evidence that "many people experienced benefits."

It's necessary to consider "green tea" and "green tea extract supplements" separately

This is a particularly important point to note.

When hearing that "catechins in green tea are good for health,"

some might think,

"Then wouldn't it be more efficient to take a large amount of EGCG concentrated in supplements?"

However, regular green tea as a beverage and high-concentration green tea extract should not be treated as the same thing.

The U.S. NCCIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) reports no major safety concerns for adults consuming green tea as a beverage, but rare liver damage has been reported with concentrated green tea extracts.

Additionally, interactions with some medications have been reported.

In other words,

"Because the components in regular tea seem beneficial, concentrating them and taking them in large amounts will make you healthier"

is not necessarily the case.

Considering the 2026 study where no significant improvement in major inflammation markers was confirmed even after consuming high-dose green tea extract for a year, one should be cautious about the idea that "the more, the better."

The greatest strength of green tea is not "dramatic effects"

Upon reading this far,

some might wonder,

"So, is there no point in drinking green tea?"

That's not the case.

When considering the benefits of green tea, it's important to view it not as a "drink that dramatically reduces inflammation like medicine," but as a "small part of a healthy lifestyle."

For example, if someone who usually drinks sugary soft drinks replaces some of them with unsweetened green tea, they can reduce their intake of added sugars.

The time spent drinking warm tea itself might serve as a cue for taking a break.

Since it can be enjoyed with meals, it's easy to make it a habit without purchasing special health foods.

And above all, in Japan, it's relatively inexpensive and readily available.

Such "sustainable practices" hold significant meaning in health habits.

If you're truly considering inflammation measures, "just green tea" is not enough

This point is repeatedly emphasized in the original article.

If you're conscious of inflammation, it's necessary to consider your entire lifestyle rather than focusing solely on a cup of green tea.

A balanced diet including vegetables, fruits, fish, and nuts.

Moderate exercise.

Adequate sleep.

Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and large amounts of added sugars.

It's more realistic to think of adding green tea on top of these foundational habits.

Conversely, if you're sleep-deprived, don't exercise, and consume large amounts of sugar and alcohol,

it's difficult to think,

"I'm drinking green tea every day, so I'm fine with inflammation measures."

In health research, the conclusion that "no single food can solve everything" frequently emerges.

The idea of "continuing every day" is not a bad one

Even so, the very idea of making green tea a daily habit is reasonable.##HTML_TAG_