Buddhist monks used Matcha for centuries to help keep them mentally focused for long periods of meditation.
Then during the 13th century, the monks introduced Matcha to samurai warriors to drink before battle. It gave them increased energy and endurance.
But today, researchers in the U.K. have found a new benefit for the ancient powdered green tea. They discovered it can halt the spread of breast cancer in its tracks.1
The scientists tested matcha green tea on breast cancer stem cells (CSCs). The matcha tea inhibited the propagation of the CSCs. They didn’t reproduce. Here’s why that’s a big deal…
You see, when you have surgery, chemo or radiation for breast cancer you may very well see your tumors shrink. Maybe they’ll even disappear. But when regular breast cancer cells are poisoned and radiated, some of them reprogram themselves. They turn into unstoppable CSCs.
In other words, these treatments can actually make breast cancer more deadly.
These surviving breast CSCs are very hard to destroy. They are resistant to treatment. Chemo won’t work on them. Radiation can’t touch them.
These cancer stem cells also act as a hidden reserve of cancer. They can grow new cancer cells in other organs or tissues. In fact, CSCs are the root cause of tumor formation and malignancy. They are up to 30 times more likely to form new tumors.2 And they trigger metastasis which accounts for 90% of all cancer deaths.
But the U.K. study found that matcha tea can take on CSCs. It affects the metabolism of cancer cells. It prevents cancer cells from “refueling.” They become inactive and die.
They even suggested that matcha could be a candidate to replace the drug rapamycin, that suppresses the immune system to stop the spread of cancer cells.
A key compound in green tea is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). It behaves as an antioxidant and shows anti-tumor effects against breast cancer cells. Japanese studies show that 10 cups of green tea daily prevent or delay the onset of cancer thanks to EGCG. But you don’t have to drink that much. Matcha green tea has 137 times the EGCG of regular brewed green tea.3
You see, green tea from tea bags is not the same as matcha green tea. Matcha green tea is powdered. You add hot water and drink the dissolved tea powder. That makes it much stronger than the flavored water that most people drink as green tea.
Look for real powdered matcha green tea in your local health food store or on the Internet. A little goes a long way. Just whisk ½ teaspoon of the powder into a cup of hot water. It makes a thick foamy, grassy-tasting brew. Drink it plain or add milk and sweetener if you like.
Kill Breast Cancer Stem Cells with These Three Powerful Plants
- Take the golden miracle spice curcumin. A recent clinical study in Cancer Letters shows curcumin, the active compound in the spice turmeric, targets cancer stem cells (CSCs).4 Other studies show curcumin triggers cell death in breast cancer cells. It also stops cancer cells from replicating and prevents DNA damage that can lead to cancer.
Most Americans don’t use enough turmeric in their cooking. That’s why I recommend curcumin supplements to my patients. Look for one with piperine (an extract from black pepper). It increases the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000%. Take 500 mg to 1,000 mg per day.
- Get the anti-aging powers of resveratrol from blueberries. Studies show that resveratrol in blueberries can slow down the growth of breast cancer stem cells.
I recommended eating a half-cup of blueberries every day. Wild blueberries have the highest levels of nutrients and the lowest levels of sugar. You can also take resveratrol supplements or blueberry extract capsules. Take up to 1,000 mg per day. - Target cancer cells with ginger. This common spice contains 6-shogaol, a chemical that targets and kills cancer stem cells.5 Researchers found that ginger was 10,000 times more effective than the chemo drug Taxol. The 6-shogaol poisoned breast cancer stem cells and also induced programmed cell death.
Drink ginger tea or add raw ginger to your stir fries as well as to your smoothies. You can also take 300 mg of ginger twice daily as a supplement.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1. Bonuccelli G, et al. “Matcha green tea (MGT) inhibits the propagation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), by targeting mitochondrial metabolism, glycolysis and multiple cell signalling pathways.” Aging (Albany NY). 2018; 10(8):1867-1883.
2. Printz C. “Radiation treatment generates therapy-resistant cancer stem cells from less aggressive breast cancer cells.” Cancer. 2012;118(13):3225.
3. Weiss DJ and Anderton CR. “Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.” J Chromatogr A. 2003;1011(1-2):173-180.
4. Li Y and Zhang T. “Targeting cancer stem cells by curcumin and clinical applications.” Cancer Lett. 2014;346(2):197-205.
5. Ray A, et al. “6-shogaol inhibits breast cancer cells and stem cell-like spheroids by modulation of notch signaling pathway and induction of autophagic cell death.” PLOS One. 2015;10(9):e0137614.