Tea symposium says drink tea to think clearly, lower dementia, and more

William Atkins
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 20:56

Science - Health

According to research presented at the Fourth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health, tea helps to lower the risk of dementia, and also improves brain health and function by helping us thinking more clearly.        

Carol E. Greenwood presented these findings on September 18, 2007 at the symposium in Washington D.C. Greenwood is a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto (Canada) and a senior scientist at the Kunin-Lunenfeld Applied Research Unit of Baycrest, also in Toronto.

During her talk, Greenwood, who is an expert on the connection between diet and cognition, said, "The research shows that tea likely directly impacts brain health by maintaining brain cell function and by assisting in the repair of damaged cells. Drinking tea may further help because it reduces the risk of developing other disorders which increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia."

The rare amino acid theanine, which is found almost exclusively in tea, actively improves the networks in the brain that control attentiveness.

During the tea symposium, it was discussed how the drinking of tea can also help to improve the metabolism in the human body so that weight loss is more likely. Tea drinking also is found to help in managing blood sugar levels.

Also at the symposium, speakers talked about how flavonoids, commonly known for their beneficial antioxidant activity, within tea may improve cardiovascular health by reducing inflammation and improving the function of blood vessels.

This article is based on the CNW Group article by Michelle Noble called “Drinking tea may help prevent dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and improve the brain's ability to focus”.