KARACHI - Green tea plays a protective role in human body against the fatal diseases, as it is found as rich in anti-oxidants, mainly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This was said by Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhry, acting director international centre for chemical and biological sciences (ICCBS), Karachi University (KU) here on Thursday. While delivering a lecture at the ICCBS, he said the extensive consumption of the tea helps reducing fat cells (obesity) in human body, which is most common health problem of the country especially in the urban areas. He said the consumption of green tea should be augmented in daily routine of every person because green tea was a true tea, as it was made solely with the leaves of Camellia Sinesis that had undergone minimal oxidation during processing. He said, "In Pakistan obesity level in rural areas is found to be 9 percent in men and 14 percent in women. While in urban areas situation is quite alarming as the obesity level is found to be 22 percent in men and 37 percent in women of age group between 25-44. Same is the case with the people of age group between 45-64. Higher obesity level in urban areas is due to urbanites' changing life style, high fat, carbohydrate-rich diet and lack of exercise." Chaudhry said: "Results from many laboratories and epidemiological studies suggest a protective role of green tea consumption against development of various types of cancers. Thus, the tea drinking has been associated with a reduced risk of stomach, pancreatic and colorectal cancers, and also with decreased recurrence of stage-I and II breast cancer. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue." It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots, which is the leading cause of heat attacks and stroke. According to some researches, green tea can help prevent tooth decay just as its bacteria destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that cause dental plaque. While, skin preparations containing green tea from deodorants to creams are starting to appear in the market, he said. He said the only negative side effect that reported from drinking green tea was insomnia because it contains caffeine. However green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there is approximately 30-60mg of caffeine in 6-8 ounces of tea, compared to over 100mg on eight ounces of coffee.