A Perfect Cup of Tea

Green tea contains catechins, a group of antioxidant compounds that may help prevent cancer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. To get the most health benefit from the tea:

• Choose small, loose-leaf green tea, which infuses quickly. Tightly curled or large-leaf tea requires a longer infusion time.

• Use loose leaves instead of bags. If using bags, continuously dunk them in the teapot rather than leaving them to float on the water.

• Use boiling water, which promotes the release of catechins.

• Steep the tea for 2 to 5 minutes. Tea's catechin content increases with steeping time; a shorter time results in a high caffeine content but low catechin content.