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Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant and biologically active catechin polyphenol in green tea (Camellia sinensis), recognized for its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties mediated through modulation of oxidative stress pathways, mitochondrial function, and signaling cascades such as Nrf2, NF-κB, and BDNF (NIH ODS, Frontiers in Nutrition). Within nutritional psychology, EGCG is of growing interest for its potential to influence mood, stress reactivity, cognitive performance, and mental health outcomes through mechanisms including microbiota-gut-brain axis modulation, attenuation of neuroinflammation, regulation of the HPA axis, and enhancement of neuroplasticity, though psychological effects are shaped by dose, bioavailability, chronic versus acute intake, and interactions with broader dietary and behavioral patterns (Nutrients 2020, Molecules 2021).
Author and reviewer
Editorial responsibilityReferences and further reading
- Nguyen, N. T. K., Fan, H.-Y., Tsai, M.-C., Tung, T.-H., & Huynh, Q. T. V. (2020). Nutrient intake through childhood and early menarche onset in girls: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 12(9), 2544. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092544 View source
How to cite this entry
Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. (2026). Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The Center for Nutritional Psychology.
https://www.nutritional-psychology.org/encyclopedia/epigallocatechin-gallate-egcg/Know a term that belongs in the Encyclopedia?
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