Green tea is high in antioxidants that fight off harmful free radicals. By some estimates the antioxidants found in green tea may be 20 times more potent than vitamin E, which is a proven brain health booster. Great news – Research shows that green tea is even better than just its amazing antioxidants.
According to a new study by scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, found that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea has an amazing health benefit—it stops beta amyloid plaques linked to Alzheimer’s from forming. Beta amyloid plaques disrupt communication between brain and nerve cells, creating the memory loss and dementia, which are the trademark signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
This new research found that EGCG in green tea effectively prevented plaques from being able to damage healthy cells – this discovery is an exciting one into brain health and Alzheimer’s disease. Green tea consumption has now been associated with a 54% reduction in the risk of developing cognitive declin!
This research supports earlier research in the medical journal Brain Research that also found that green tea consumption can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Other research in the American Journal of Medicine found that regular tea consumption (4 to 5 cups a day) can cut the risk of cognitive decline in half, which is impressive by anyone’s standards.
Earlier research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who drank two or more cups of tea each day were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. The benefits were not linked to tea’s caffeine content which is lower than the caffeine found in coffee.
If you’re not a big fan of the taste of green tea, try it blended with other types of tea, such as ginger or lemongrass. You can get green tea in capsules at your local health store. You can also try it iced with some stevia to sweeten the beverage and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a delicious green tea lemonade.