EGCG Benefits: What Green Tea Extract Actually Contains

EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) is the most abundant and most studied catechin in green tea. When research discusses green tea extract, EGCG is usually the compound being measured. It is also why extract labels are worth reading carefully: "green tea extract" and "EGCG" are not interchangeable terms.

The catechins in green tea

Catechin Share of total catechins
EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) Typically the largest fraction
EGC (epigallocatechin) Second
ECG (epicatechin gallate) Smaller
EC (epicatechin) Smallest

These proportions vary with cultivar, growing conditions, leaf age and processing. Green tea retains more catechins than black tea because the leaves are heated early to halt the oxidation that converts them.

Reading an extract label

This is where most confusion happens, and it directly affects what you are paying for.

  • "500 mg green tea extract" tells you the mass of extract, not how much EGCG is in it.
  • "500 mg standardised to 50% EGCG" tells you there is 250 mg of EGCG.
  • "800 mg EGCG" states the EGCG content directly.

Two products can appear similar on the front label and differ several-fold in EGCG content. Our EGCG 800 states 800 mg of EGCG per two-capsule serving at 98% purity, 30 servings per bottle.

Caffeine is a separate question

Green tea naturally contains caffeine, and many extracts retain it. If you are taking an extract for the catechins rather than for stimulation, a decaffeinated extract removes that variable, which matters particularly for evening use. We cover the processing on the decaffeinated EGCG page.

A note on dose

European authorities have reviewed high-dose green tea catechin intake and published guidance on it. Follow the label directions on the product you own, do not exceed them, and speak to a doctor before use if you take medication, have liver concerns, are pregnant or nursing. Extract concentration is precisely why label reading matters more here than with brewed tea.

Verify the purity claim

EGCG Certificate of Analysis  |  EGCG 800  |  EGCG dosing

This page is educational and describes the composition of green tea extracts. It does not describe a health outcome. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.