Kuriyama’s research is based on data collected from more than 40,000 healthy Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 79 since 1994. More than 86% of study participants stayed in the study for 11 years. Participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their daily diet and health.
The research was conducted under careful care. But Kuriyama quickly pointed out that this kind of research cannot prove that Chunmee Green Tea has any beneficial effects. The evidence came from a clinical trial in which some people received green tea while others did not. The Kuriyama study shows that there is a link between green tea and lower risk of death-not that green tea leads to lower risk of death.
Ireland H. Lichtenstein, DSc, Director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Research Project at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Aging Research Center, Tufts University, felt overwhelmed by the Kuriyama Research.
"This is association, not causality," Lichtenstein told Tea Culture.com. "Japanese people are very different from us in terms of diet and lifestyle. Current data-does not support the hypothesis that adding green tea to your diet can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke. But please stay tuned." .
Kuriyama pointed out that a Dutch study showed that Westerners may benefit from green tea. This is also the opinion of Dr. Tsung O. Cheng, a green tea researcher at George Washington University Medical Center.
"I think the influence of green tea spreads all over the world," Cheng told Tea Culture.com. "There is no reason to say that it should be beneficial to the Eastern world rather than Western countries. I hope that Westerners will also start to drink more Chinese Green Tea. A person should drink two or more 8-ounce cups a day to get the most benefit."