Want to enhance your health in surprising ways? Drink green tea.

We're not talking about a new health discovery here. This beverage has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese. It has proved itself for centuries as worthy of being included in our diet for its health properties.

Not only has this drink been endorsed for ages, but modern science also has discovered astonishing facts about what it may be able to do for your health.

There are a lot more benefits to drinking green tea than are listed below, but here are seven:

1. Drink it to help shed extra pounds.

A study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November, 1999, is encouraging. It shows that this drink may enable people to burn more calories.

2. This ancient brew may help combat signs of aging.

That's because it contains large amounts of vitamins E and C which are antioxidants. Antioxidants have the reputation of being able to combat free radicals that damage cells. Cancer, heart attacks and diabetes can result from damaged cell membranes.

In April, 1999, researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland revealed that green tea may ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

3. This drink may help asthma sufferers.

Because it contains theophylline (a muscle relaxant), it can help the muscles surrounding bronchial tubes to relax. This helps asthma sufferers to breathe with less restriction.

4. Green tea may help lower blood pressure.

High blood pressure makes you susceptible to heart attack and stroke. This ancient brew may also keep blood clots from forming.

5. Green tea has been reported to help in the fight against cancer.

Doctors from the prestigious Mayo Clinic found that green tea extract given to four leukemia patients seemed to help three of them experience regression of the disease. And even the fourth patient showed some improvement. The reason the doctors tried green tea extract is that a 2004 test tube study showed that leukemia cells were killed by the extract.

By the way, in Japan there are fewer reported cancer deaths. Could it be because the Japanese drink a lot of green tea?

6. Drinking this beverage my help lower cholesterol.

Lowering cholesterol with no side effects has been reported in studies using green tea. Your ability to fight heart disease and ward off stroke is tied in with your cholesterol count.

7. This brew may help your body fight infections.

The New York Times reported in April of 2003 that the immune system's ability to fight disease may be strengthened by drinking green tea. Microbiologist Milton Schiffenbauer, professor at Pace University (New York) stated, "Our research shows tea extracts can destroy the organism that causes disease. If we can stimulate the immune system and at the same time we are destroying the organisms then it makes sense to drink more tea."

Now that you've learned 7 ways green tea has been shown to help your health, why not give it a place in your daily diet? It's not a magic cure, but this proven ancient beverage may just help you to be healthier.