Women can significantly decrease their odds of getting colon and stomach cancers simply by adding green tea to their drink consumption, according to the latest research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Green tea, well known for being high in antioxidants has shown to have a positive impact on women who consume it at least three times a week, the study noted.

The study focused on data from the Shanghai Women’s Health Study, which included 69,310 nonsmoking, non-drinking Chinese women (all of whom were middle or older age) who entered the study between 1996 and 2000. After 11 years, there were 1,255 cases of cancer of the digestive system.

Researchers found an association between green tea consumption and cancer risk, with those reporting regular green tea consumption having a 14 percent lower risk of developing cancer of the digestive system. And their risk of cancer only went down with the more green tea they reported drinking, and the longer they reported drinking tea regularly.

Even though this study only showed a link between cancer risk and green tea consumption, other studies have also suggested the brew can have positive effects on health. Green tea has been linked with lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia.

Next time you are looking for a trade off to coffee, think of tea it might be a life saving decision.