A total of 76% of people in Belfast say drinking tea helps to improve their mood.
And 57% claim it keeps them calm.
As families enjoy getting together, a new independent research study commissioned by the Tea Advisory Panel has found that almost 6 in 10 (58%) people in Belfast share the same tea drinking habits as our parents or children.
This makes tea a truly intergenerational drink and one that’s packed with top-to-toe health benefits – from cognitive and brain health to protection of heart and gut function.
Dietitian, Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Tea Advisory Panel – www.teaadvisorypanel.com – says as well as being popular across the ages, tea provides distinct benefits for each generation.
“Studies show that working age adults who drink tea improve their mental focus and memory, while older adults benefit from lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of heart disease. Even children over the age of four years – normally given milk or soft drinks – can get a health advantage by switching to milky unsweetened tea since it contains natural fluoride which protects teeth,” she said.
Tea is also proven to have gut health effects, as noted in a research review published in the journal, Nutrients. Drinking green tea boosted gut levels of Bifidobacterium – a healthy strain of bacteria linked with metabolic health – with effects seen after just two weeks. This could particularly help women who tend to suffer digestive discomfort more often than men.
GP, Dr Gill Jenkins, added: “Another review just published in the Journal of Human Nutrition confirmed the brain and cognitive benefits of regular tea drinking.
“The secret is the natural elixir of polyphenols, caffeine and L-theanine which have been shown to influence the brain from adolescence to old age. Indeed, in the new poll commissioned by the Tea Advisory Panel, more than three quarters (76%) of people in Belfast say drinking tea helps to improve their mood, while almost 6 in 10 (57%) claim it keeps them calm”.
The Tea Advisory Panel poll also found intergenerational differences in the way we take our tea. While adding milk to tea remains popular, younger people are trying tea without milk or adding plant milks. Also, a third of younger people leave the teabag in for longer than their elders – which is far better for extracting the maximum amount of polyphenols.
Dr Gill Jenkins, added: “Research shows that tea components, especially polyphenols, influence brain health, mood and cognitive function by relaxing blood vessels and improving their function. This lowers blood pressure and brings more nutrients and oxygen to the brain. Tea polyphenols are also anti-inflammatory and deliver antioxidant effects which protect brain cells from damage. The unique combination of caffeine and L-theanine, an amino acid in tea, promotes mental focus and helps to preventing mind-wandering as evidenced by recent clinical trials”.
The new poll also found that half (50 %) of people in Belfast use a cuppa to keep their brain functioning well, while more than three quarters (76%) say their morning tea – especially black tea – wakes them up and gets them going. Younger people tend to favour tea in the evening and say it helps them to relax.
A fascinating aspect of the new poll was that even the aroma of tea has an impact on how people feel and think, a fact supported by the new systematic review led by Dr Jenkins, which investigated data on the effects of tea when it comes to our cognition, brain and mind health.
More than half of Belfast residents say they feel cosy, happy and relaxed – as well as energised – when they get the first sniff of a freshly brewed cuppa. Tea aroma also makes 33% of Belfast residents think about their parents while 29% remember their grandparents and 10% hark back to camping trips.
Dr Carrie Ruxton concluded: “All the evidence on tea means that drinking 3-4 cups of tea a day – as many of us already do – could benefit children and teenagers needing to complete homework, working adults trying to de-stress or focus on complex tasks, and retired adults who want to retain optimal brain health as they age.
“Yet, as the Tea Advisory Panel poll revealed, most people are still unaware of these benefits and simply drink tea because it makes them feel good. Whether we’re enjoying a cuppa alone or with friends and family this International Tea Day, it’s time to celebrate the health benefits that our humble cuppa provides to both young and old.”