It is that, of course. But it is so much more. In addition to its cancer-fighting properties, green tea also appears to mitigate many of the risk factors associated with heart disease and stroke. Further, green tea's potent antioxidant effects inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in the arteries, which plays a major contributory role in the formation of atherosclerosis. When one looks at coagulation risk factors in the blood, green tea is seen to specifically inhibit platelet aggregation and adhesion via effects that differ from, but are essentially as effective as, aspirin.
Green tea reduces the risk of arterial blood clotting by two known mechanisms.
First, green tea inhibits thromboxane A2 formation, as does aspirin. Reducing thromboxane A2 levels is highly desirable. Thromboxane not only causes arterial blood clots, but also causes arterial constriction. The inhibition of thromboxane can prevent a heart attack or a thrombotic stroke. Green tea also has been shown to elevate levels of HDL, the good cholesterol that helps remove atherosclerotic plaque from arterial walls.