Cup of tea brightens the day and the mind Published on: 29 December 2020 If you鈥檙e enjoying a cup of tea and mince pie this festive season, you may be refreshing more than your palate, as research shows a good brew improves the attention span in those over 85-years-old. In a study from 缅北禁地, tea drinkers who enjoyed more than five cups a day were shown to have more focus and sustained attention span. They also demonstrated better psychomotor skills – those linking brain and movement. In tests, they showed better accuracy and speed of reaction which could help in daily activities such as completing a jigsaw, sewing or driving a car. The researchers studied the tea-drinking habits of those over 85 living in their own homes or in assisted accommodation and found that those who drank more than five cups of tea a day – with or without milk - performed better at certain cognitive tests. Dr Edward Okello, Principal Investigator, Human Nutrition Research Centre at 缅北禁地 led the research. He said: “The skills we see maintained in this group of very old may not only be due to the compounds present in tea, but it may also be the rituals of making a pot of tea or sharing a chat over a cup of tea are just as important.” The research used data from the flagship involving more than one thousand 85-year-olds from 缅北禁地 and North Tyneside. Started in 2006, studies are still continuing to this day with around 200 participants as they become centenarians. Research nurses gather information by visiting participants in their own homes to complete a health assessment made up of questionnaires, measurements, function tests and a fasting blood test. Examining the consumption of black tea, Camellia sinensis, the researchers were looking for evidence that it protected against memory loss (cognitive decline). They found that higher tea consumption was associated with significantly better attention (focused and sustained attention), and psychomotor speed (complex tasks only) over the five years but there was no association between tea consumption and overall measures of memory (global cognitive function) or performance on simple speed tasks. The researchers suggest the findings mean that black tea should be considered for the very old in any diet which aims to improve attention and psychomotor speed. “We now know that enjoying a cup of tea quenches your thirst and has benefits for over 85s attention span,” adds Dr Okello, “What better excuse do we need for enjoying a cuppa together?” Dr Ed Okello enjoying a cup of tea Tea facts Tea, the hot water infusion from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis, is the most consumed beverage in the world after water. Black tea is the most commonly consumed tea and accounts for 76–78% of world tea consumption. The UK is ranked 3rd in the world for tea consumption per capita after Turkey and Ireland. Reference Edward Jonathan Okello, Nuno Mendonça, Blossom Stephan, Graciela Muniz-Terrera, Keith Wesnes and Mario Siervo. BMC Nutr. doi: 10.1186/s40795-020-00361-8. Share: Latest News 缅北禁地 recognised with geography award 缅北禁地 has been awarded the Highly Commended Geographical Association Publishers Award for its collaboration with Time for Geography, the UK鈥檚 open-access, dedicated video platform. published on: 16 April 2026 缅北禁地 historians mark General Strike centenary To mark the 100th anniversary of the British General Strike and miners鈥� lock-out of 1926, historians at 缅北禁地 are organising a series of events on its enduring legacy. published on: 16 April 2026 Comment: NCP is in administration Writing for The Conversation, Erwei (David) Xiang discusses how some big companies like NCP are so dependent on debt that they can鈥檛 adjust to change. published on: 16 April 2026 Facts and figures
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