Drinking Tea Might Delay Alzheimer's Disease

3-4 cups of tea daily can improve the memory and help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

The research team, based at Newcastle University's Medicinal Plant Research Center, investigated the properties of green and black tea, as well as coffee, in a series of laboratory experiments.

The results showed that both types of tea inhibited the activity of enzymes associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. Coffee, however, had no significant effect.

In fact, drinking tea appears to affect the brain in a similar way as drugs prescribed for Alzheimer's disease the UK researchers report.

According to scientists black and green brews fight enzymes that destroy chemical messengers in the brain.

They said: "It's exciting as tea is popular and inexpensive without side effects."

Phytotherapy Research, August 2004