Update Green tea enzyme tNOX kills tumor cells April 1998 . Green tea contains compounds that kill prostate cancer cells. Most people in the USA and around the world drink black tea, if they drink tea at all. Only about a quarter of all tea drunk is green. Both kinds of tea leaves are from the same plant, the evergreen shrub Camellia sinens.
Black tea is made from the withered, fermented leaves.
The leaves sold as green tea have been steamed after picking, and are not fermented. This makes a difference. Green tea, evidence suggests, is more potent in anti-cancer ingredients. All plants contain compounds called polyphenols. These are especially high in tea, coffee, red grapes, kidney beans, raisins, prunes, and red wine.