It's Tea Time

It’s Tea Time
The link between nutrition and cognitive health keeps growing stronger. Past research has shown that consuming more vegetables, soy, fish, and the vitamin niacin all appear to offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease. And the latest study adds tea to this list of brain-friendly foods.

Research out of the United Kingdom shows that drinking tea appears to inhibit enzymes associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, tea works in much the same way as drugs prescribed for the disease.

Both green and black tea interfered with or obstructed several enzymes that play a role in the development of senile plaques. Coffee, which was also studied, had no effect on these enzymes.
There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But lead researcher Dr. Ed Okello notes that “tea could potentially be another weapon in the armory which is used to treat this disease and slow its development.”

By the way, the Okinawa studies show that jasmine tea is a popular choice of healthy 100-year-olds. Maybe the English have it right. Take a break each afternoon for a cup of tea. There are many different kinds of flavored tea to give you a change of pace. I personally like to cut some fresh mint and add it to the tea while it’s steeping.