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Both tea and coffee have become staples in our productivity-based world. The consumption of either of these beverages has become almost ritualistic for a vast majority of Americans and, really, the world in general. I have seen, on countless occasions, people in the work place complaining about their lack of energy and directly attributing it to the fact that they had not consumed a caffeinated beverage that day. I mean, lets face it, we are a world of addicts and our drug of choice: caffeine. While American coffee drinkers outnumber American tea drinkers five to one, other regions of the world such as China and Japan much prefer the latter and while they both have their own health benefits I am convinced that tea is a far superior option.
A recent study done by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed some wonderful results. The study conducted trials on two sets of men performing puzzle and memory based exercises while hooked up to an MRI scanner. One set performed the trials without a substance and were then given a “placebo” drink which contained no actual tea; the results were what one may expect, no significant increase in cognitive function. The second set of men were to do the same exercise only on their second run through researchers introduced a green tea extract into their drinks and the results? “A significant increase of activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the brain”. This, for those of you who may not be aware, is a section of your brain responsible for memory and focus. Researchers say that this is due to the fact that:
“Green tea is full of polyphenols, which widen blood vessels, speeding the supply of blood to the brain, like EGCG, a strong anti-cancer chemical.”
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On the other end of the spectrum, British researchers recently did a study where they gathered daily coffee drinkers and did a similar test. The funny thing is that while the test group who was given caffeinated coffee did see a slight increase in their scores on their second run-through, so did the coffee drinkers who were given the “placebo” coffee.
Other Benefits of Green Tea
- It can prevent food poisoning by killing harmful bacteria
- Contains EGCG which is known to prevent cancer
- It can prevent arthritis
- Can kill oral bacteria preventing cavities and bad breath
- It can aid in weight loss by speeding up metabolism
- It aids in regulating blood sugar levels and thus helps prevent diabetic related issues
- It contains high levels of flavonoid antioxidants which can help prevent cancer, heart disease, asthma, stroke and may play a special role in protecting the brain
- Tea exclusively contains l'theanine, an amino acid which increases focus and while helping with anxiety and decreasing the chance for alzheimer's disease.
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