Healthiest Green Tea

One of the healthiest drinks in the world, green tea has been shown in clinical studies to work wonders — green tea can do almost anything, from boosting metabolism to lowering total cholesterol, from protecting against cancer to reducing inflammation for those suffering from Crohn's disease (all health care information courtesy of the University of Maryland Medical Center).

But that doesn't mean everything calling itself green tea is great for you; a Starbucks "Green Tea Chai Latte," for instance, is packed full of sugar, fat, and carbs — besides, it's made with a dehydrated green tea powder, not a natural, full-leaf green tea. Falsified green teas like these have none of green tea's health benefits, although they trade on the tea's good name to trick consumers into buying the product. Other green tea products — not loose leaf green tea — may even contain lead.

If you're looking to increase your green tea intake and you're new to the beverage, take a look at our Beginner's Guide to Brewing Green Tea.