"Tea is nothing other than this: Heat the water, prepare the tea and drink it with propriety. That is all you need to know."
- Sen Rikyu, 16th Century Oriental Tea Master

Several animal and test tube studies have demonstrated an anticancer effect of polyphenols from green tea. In one of these studies, a polyphenol called catechin from green tea effectively inhibited metastasis (uncontrolled spread) of melanoma (skin cancer) cells. The polyphenols in green tea have also been associated with reduced risk of several types of cancer in humans. However, some human studies have found no association between green tea consumption and decreased cancer risk.

Three main types of tea are produced from the Camellia sinensis plant: black, oolong and green. Once picked, leaves quickly wilt and wither, a process known as oxidization or fermentation (though no yeasts or bacteria are used). Then, at a predetermined stage, tea growers stop oxidation by heating the leaves. For black teas, the most processed variety, the leaves have been completely oxidized; oolong teas are only partially oxidized; green teas are not at all oxidized. Instead, growers steam the freshly picked leaves, which stops oxidization immediately.

For over 4,000 years, tea has been enjoyed for its flavor and prized for its medicinal properties. It is used to treat depression and headaches and is believed to prolong life.