Older people who drink tea regularly at least 4 times a week are better at brain structure, a new study suggests.
The study was conducted by researchers at the National University of Singapore and published in the journal Aging.
Previous studies have revealed that drinking tea is beneficial to human health, and its benefits include improving mood and preventing cardiovascular disease.
The results of a long study conducted in 2017 showed that drinking tea daily can reduce the risk of cognitive decline in the elderly by 50%.
After this discovery, the research team observed in its new study the direct impact of tea on brain networks.
The team monitored 36 adults aged 60 and over and collected data on their physical and mental health and lifestyle.
Elderly participants underwent neuropsychological tests and MRI on their brains from 2015 to 2018.
Researchers found that those who drank green or black tea at least four times a week for about 25 years, had their brain networks connected more effectively and had better brain health.
They also found that drinking tea better regulates the functioning of brain regions, which is linked to improved cognitive function, compared to those who do not drink tea.
"Our findings provide the first evidence of the positive contribution of tea drinking to the brain structure, and suggest that regular consumption has a protective effect against deterioration in age-related brain regulation," said Professor Feng Lei.
"Older people with better structure in the brain structure make connections between their brain regions more organized, and this leads to more efficient processing of information," he said.