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You probably think you've never heard of epigallocatechin gallate, but you have heard everyone from your hairdresser to your favorite celebs to the experts at the Mayo Clinic raving about the practically-magical EGCG. What is it, what will it do for you, and where can you get some?

EGCG is a good-for-you antioxidant found in green tea. It's been shown to aid with weight loss thanks to its appetite-suppressing qualities. (It does this by upping levels of CKK, a hormone that makes you feel full - thanks, Julie Daniluk, RNC, via Dr. Oz.) A blog all about the health benefits of green tea claims that EGCG can nearly double the rate of your metabolism, so you'll naturally burn more calories. Other health benefits include reduction in leukemia cell counts (Mayo Clinic research) and promising findings on prevention of Alzheimer's, treatment of diabetes, heart health, and more.

EGCG (or green tea extract) is available in a concentrated liquid, as a powder, and in pill form. However, sipping a soothing cup of green tea is easily the tastiest way to get your EGCG fix. I couldn't dig up any information on whether you can get too much of this good thing, but be careful with supplement dosages. Score one more for brewing up the tea: even if you're inclined to down several mugfuls a day, you won't risk ODing on your EGCG. Raise a mug to your health!

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