A major Japanese study has revealed that drinking at least 600 millilitres of green tea daily could reduce the risk of developing dementia by 25 per cent.
The research, published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Ageing, tracked 13,660 participants over an average of 11.5 years.
Scientists found that each cup of green tea consumed daily was associated with a five per cent decrease in dementia risk.
The findings emerge as concerns grow about rising dementia rates, with some estimates suggesting new cases could double to one million annually by 2060.
Green tea contains four times more catechins than black tea
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Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic note that "green tea is light in taste and caffeine but strong in health benefits", based on previous studies showing it lowers the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
The latest research drew data from the long-running Murakami study, with participants averaging 59 years of age and comprising 52 per cent women.
Researchers collected baseline data between 2011 and 2013, adjusting for factors including BMI, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, education level and medical history.
Participants were then divided into four quartiles based on their green tea consumption.
The lowest quartile consumed less than 94 millilitres daily, whilst the highest consumed at least 600 millilitres per day.
The study tracked dementia cases through Japan's long-term care insurance database, where physicians classify patients into six ranks ranging from no dementia to severe dementia-related impairment.
Those in the highest quartile, consuming at least 600 millilitres daily, showed a 25 per cent lower dementia risk compared to the lowest quartile.
The protective effect appeared to increase incrementally, with participants experiencing approximately five per cent risk reduction for each additional cup consumed.
Interestingly, combining high levels of coffee with green tea did not enhance the protective effects.
Researchers suggested this might be due to excessive caffeine intake, as participants in the highest consumption group averaged 300 milligrams of caffeine daily, approaching the recommended 400-milligram limit.
The study noted that different plant compounds in coffee and tea might counteract each other's benefits.
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Green tea contains particularly high levels of catechins, a type of flavonoid antioxidant, providing approximately four times more than black tea.
One key compound, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been linked to reduced Alzheimer's risk through its ability to decrease brain inflammation and reduce amyloid-beta and tau-tangle accumulation.
For optimal benefits, loose-leaf tea steeped in a strainer is recommended over tea bags, which may contain microplastics. Plain green tea is ideal, though small amounts of honey or milk are acceptable.
The study had limitations, including reliance on self-reported consumption and lack of baseline cognitive assessments, which potentially affected the strength of the associations found.
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