Could green tea be the most miraculous superfood out there? It’s good for your health, good for your skin, and according to a new study, it’s also good for your memory… if you can remember to drink it regularly.
The research, published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, says the chemical properties of green tea provide benefits for memory and spatial learning through the generation of brain cells. It is widely known that the drink is excellent for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, but this new evidence shows it also plays a big role in the brain’s cellular production and mechanisms.
The research team, led by Professor Yun Bai of the Third Military Medical University in Chongqing, China, focused on EGCG, the organic chemical that plays a key role in green tea’s health benefits. The team found that the antioxidant may also aid the prevention of age-related degenerative diseases.
According to Bai, the team proposed that “EGCG can improve cognitive function by impacting the generation of neuron cells, a process known as neurogenesis.†The research was “focused on the hippocampus, the part of the brain which processes information from short-term to long-term memory.â€
The team tested two groups of mice, one with imbibed EGCG and one control group, who were trained for three days to find a visible platform in a maze, then trained for seven days to find a hidden platform. The EGCG-treated mice took less time to find the hidden platform, with the overall results revealing that the antioxidant enhances memory and learning by improving spatial memory and object recognition.
This means there is even more to add to the already extensive list of reasons to drink green tea. Just a few cups a day could help memory, plus it tastes delicious.
Do you drink green tea? If so, what are your reasons? If not, does research like this tempt you to have a cup?
Image CC licnesed by McKay Savage: Green tea
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