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April 24, 2008
After coffee, now tea
It was clear for quite some times that tea is probably healthier than coffee. My challenge is that I prefer coffee, so I was quite happy when I read last year, that coffee in the morning improves memory.
Now, Singapore also came out with a study, this time regarding tea. It clearly states that a cup of tea is good for the brain by slowing down cell degeneration and keeping the mind sharp into old age. Hah, now I finally understand why my mum always remembers all the things that I messed up as a kid, haha.
She likes to drink tea - a lot. A liter of tea in the evening is nothing for her. Sitting in front of the TV, she slowly downs one cup after the next.
Here is the article:
"A cup of tea is good for the brain by slowing down cell degeneration and keeping the mind sharp into old age, a
published report said on Sunday.
A four-year study by scientists in Singapore adds to tea`s long-touted virtues.
Any type of tea will do, Professor Ng Tze Pin from the National University of Singapore`s psychological medicine department told a newspaper.
`Tea is cheap, non-toxic and widely consumed,` Ng was quoted as saying.
The university`s scientists found that catechins, a natural compound in tea, protects brain cells from damaging protein build-up over the years, maintaining the brain`s cognitive capability.
The caffeine in tea, unlike that in coffee, contains the natural protein theanine, which counters the normal side effects of caffeine such as raised blood pressure, headaches and tiredness, the scientists said.
Brain-cell degeneration, caused by a combination of loss of nerve cells, predisposed genes, small strokes and increased levels of harmful protein build-up, often leads to dementia, the report said.
The team of scientists studied the tea-drinking habits of 2,501Chinese aged 55 and above from September 2003 to December 2005.
Participants` health, attention span, language use and visual and spatial abilities were assessed. Their tea consumption was monitored.
About 38 percent did not drink tea. Twenty-nine per cent drank only one kind and the rest consumed a mix of teas.
Two-thirds of the tea drinkers maintained their scores on the same memory tests two years later. Among the non-tea drinkers, 35 percent saw a drop in their scores by an average of two points, signifying cognitive decline.
Tea was the distinguishing factor keeping brain cell energized. The drink alone cannot do the job.
`It still means a lifetime of good habits and a balanced diet,` Ng said."
Posted by Andreas at April 24, 2008 04:24 PM
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