For many years, green tea has been recommended to people to boost their healthy living regime. The fact that it is high in antioxidants means it's great for weight loss, lowering the risk of some cancers as well as improving brain power to try and offset the chances of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

A compound within the product has been found to kill mouth cancer cells, but initially, scientists weren’t sure how it was able to do that while leaving the healthy cells undamaged. However, they believe they have now had a breakthrough and figured out why.

Scientists at Penn State University in America analysed the specific mechanism which allows the green tea compound to target the diseased cells.

Previous research had shown that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, killed mouth cancer cells without harming normal cells. The new analysis has led the scientists to believe that EGCG may trigger a process that leads to cell death.

Professor Joshua Lambert, a specialist in food science and co-director of Penn State's Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health, said: “EGCG is doing something to damage the mitochondria [a membrane found in some cells]. That mitochondrial damage sets up a cycle causing more damage and it spirals out, until the cell undergoes programmed cell death.

“It looks like EGCG causes the formation of reactive oxygen species in cancer cells, which damages the mitochondria, and the mitochondria responds by making more reactive oxygen species.”

As well as making sure you drink cups of green tea during the day, you can incorporate it into other parts of your diet. On a morning, steep a green tea bag in boiling water, but then try mixing in your favourite oats and fruit to give your porridge an extra kick.

If you’re sick of drinking it straight up, why not try a green tea smoothie instead? Get the powder variety of the ingredient and add fat-free natural yoghurt, fruit such as a banana or berries, and blitz. Use frozen berries to make it an extra cold shake that refreshes as well as adds extra antioxidants.

You can also use green tea powder as a topping for fish or grilled meat. Blend with chopped nuts such as almonds, pistachios or walnuts then roll your chosen protein in the mixture before baking in the oven.

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