First a confession: I don't like green tea [0]. I never have.

I prefer Earl Grey, mint, ginger peach, rooibos and many other types of tea [0]. But for years now, I've consumed a daily dose of green tea for its plentiful antioxidants and stellar health benefits.

Now comes the news that green tea [1]—that miracle beverage [1] said to stave off heart disease [1], strokes [1] and cancer [1]—probably isn't much of a miracle after all.

According to this AP article [2], years of research shows that green tea's many health claims are overblown. A large Japanese study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association [3], says green tea showed mixed results in terms of disease protection over a period of several years.

This year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [4] said there isn't enough credible evidence to show that green tea cuts the risk of heart disease. The National Cancer Institute [5] also weighed in, saying that there's insufficient proof that it wards off various types of cancer.

Or, as one researcher summed it up: "It's premature to recommend that somebody start drinking" it to protect their health.

I see. So, it's too soon to say that green tea has health benefits, even though they've been touting those benefits for several years now.

I should have known better. I should have trusted my taste buds, rather than the hype. It burns me to think about the hundreds and hundreds of times that I could have been drinking a tea that I liked better. Especially, since I'm not normally inclined to sacrifice taste for a healthier option.

I'm off to sulk with a pint of high fat, calorie-laden premium ice cream. After all, it won't be long now before a new study informs us that M&M and marshmallow-studded chocolate ice cream has been gravely misunderstood and is, in fact, chockful of health benefits.