“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
-C. S. Lewis
There are few things better for our bodies than green tea. I am a dedicated coffee drinker and often write about the many health benefits of fresh coffee, but I drink tea as well. It has become my habit to brew and enjoy a big cup of green tea first thing in the morning, before I make my coffee. And the more I learn about green tea, the more committed I become to continuing this practice. Green tea is good for the entire body, but it is especially good for our decaying brains. We all need better brains. New research is showing that your brain on green tea will be calmer, more focused, better functioning, and less likely to develop dreaded diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia.
There are a number of good- for-you neuroactive compounds in green tea. Chief among them is caffeine. Moderate caffeine consumption is very beneficial for the brain. Caffeine can improve mood and cognitive performance, increasing the ability to concentrate and focus and find your keys. Caffeine has been shown to provide neuroprotective effects against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, functioning as a brain antioxidant. The key to caffeine’s benefits are moderate and regular consumption. Consume as much caffeine as you can handle without disrupting your sleep. You are going to have to test this.
Another beneficial compound we get from green tea is the amino acid L-theanine. The many benefits of L-theanine include enhanced memory and learning ability, decreased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, improved sleep quality, and relief from stress, anxiety, and depression. L-theanine has been shown to seriously reduce stress. Drinking green tea can calm you and keep you from swearing. Over time, brain exposure to L-theanine fosters increased neurogenesis, or serious brain cell growth. When super smart scientists in the lab squirt L-theanine on brain cells in petri dishes the cells grow thicker and bigger. The same thing happens in your head when you drink green tea.
Another group of healthy compounds that can be found in your morning cup are green tea catechins. And the most abundant of these catechins is epigallocatechin gallate-EGCG.
EGCG acts as a free radical scavenger. Free radicals are tiny little jerk molecules that roam through your body, fostering oxidation and destroying things. They rip electrons off your DNA, promote mutations, cultivate cancer, and cause trouble wherever they go. The catechins in your green tea, especially EGCGs, neutralize these little boogers so they can’t destroy your cells. Catechins also reduce inflammation in your brain. Inflammation is considered the link between toxin exposure and the development of disease. And catechins promote healthy mitochondria, increasing ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and energy in your brain cells.
Recent studies also show evidence that the interaction between beneficial compounds in tea and intestinal microorganisms in your gut may provide an effective way to prevent psychiatric disorders. The tea-brain-gut connection reveals that tea drinking can promote mental health and a sense of calm, well-being, and happiness. We all need to drink more green tea.
If you decide to bless your brain with the goodness of green tea, here are a few tips. Start with higher quality loose-leaf green tea (you might have to buy this online). Do not surrender to the convenience of grocery store tea bags. These bags contain lesser quality tea, along with perhaps floor sweepings and rodent hair, and maybe even plastic. Bags steeped in hot water can leach out all sorts of putrid organisms and bad stuff. It is best to stick with quality loose-leaf organic tea.
To brew your tea, all you need is a large glass measuring cup or pot, a kitchen strainer, hot water, and tea leaves. Heat water and take off boil for a minute (ideal temp for brewing green tea is about 160 – 185 degrees F). Place tea leaves in your container (approx. 1-2 tablespoons per cup). Add water and gently stir. Let steep for 2-4 minutes. Then use your strainer and pour into your cup. I like adding freshly squeezed lemon to my tea. Vitamin C and citric
