Green Tea (Matcha or Loose Leaf)

Green tea contains EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), the most potent and well-studied catechin in nutrition science. EGCG inhibits multiple inflammatory pathways including NF-κB, COX-2, and iNOS — the same targets as many anti-inflammatory drugs. A 2017 meta-analysis of 20 RCTs found green tea consumption significantly reduced CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. The dose-response relationship is important: clinical trials typically use 400-800mg EGCG equivalent, which corresponds to approximately 3-6 cups of brewed green tea or 2-4g of matcha powder. Regular tea bags provide inconsistent catechin content — loose leaf from Japanese or Chinese producers and matcha provide more reliably measured doses. The temperature note: brewing at 80°C versus 95°C preserves more catechins and produces less bitterness. Cold brew green tea (overnight in refrigerator) extracts catechins without heat degradation.