Author; from the experts at Body Science®
The benefit of green tea on general health are well documented, but if you dig deeper, you will soon find out that beyond its antioxidant capacities, green tea is a great little boost for your brain!
A large chunk of the research on the benefits of green tea has been around the antioxidant components, namely the compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG has been found to have a myriad on benefits, with regular consumptions linked to a reduction in risk of certain cancers, lowered risk of heart disease and diabetes and can also assist with weight loss due to its metabolism-boosting properties.
But, let’s be honest, you are here for the brain-boosting stuff - because who doesn’t need a hand thinking more clearly in this crazy world!
There are two other compounds that are found in green tea, one of which you may be very familiar with, caffeine, but the other, L-theanine, gets a lot less of the limelight. Scientists believe that it is these two, in combination with the EGCG and other compounds in green tea, that make this soothing drink a winner for brain function.
L-theanine is a is an amino acid found in both green tea and black tea, which has been studied for its positive benefits to brain health. From mild reductions in anxiety to improved focus, memory, and attention, L-theanine appears to increase activity in the alpha waves of the brain, which are generally activated when a person is engaged in a quiet activity.
Caffeine, on the flip side, is known to improve alertness and performance duration demanding tasks. When these two compounds combine their power, they appear to enhance alertness and our ability to multi-task. It’s like you get the wakefulness of caffeine minus the jittery side effects, thanks to L-theanine.
A systematic review on the benefits of green tea on cognition, mood, and brain functioned assessed 21 relevant studies and reported that there was evidence that green tea was able to influence memory, attention span and may assist with a reduction in symptoms of anxiety. Further, it was reported that these benefits were a result of the combination of compounds, rather than due to the caffeine, theanine of EGCG alone.
So next time you are struggling through your afternoon at work, try replacing the habits of the sweet treat with a cup of brain-boosting green tea! Check out our Green Tea TX100 range and enjoy an iced green tea! Available in Super Berry, Lemon Lime & Watermelon.
References:
Christina Dietz and Matthijs Dekker*, “Effect of Green Tea Phytochemicals on Mood and Cognition”, Current Pharmaceutical Design (2017) 23: 2876. (reference)
Edele Mancini, Christoph Beglinger, Jürgen Drewe, Davide Zanchi, Undine E. Lang, Stefan Borgwardt,
Green tea effects on cognition, mood and human brain function: A systematic review,
Phytomedicine, Volume 34, 2017, Pages 26-37, ISSN 0944-7113, (reference)
