Common drink loved by Michael Mosley can 'lower stress levels and improve memory'

Common drink loved by Michael Mosley can 'lower stress levels and improve memory' Diet and health expert Michael Mosley championed the humble drink as a daily health habit Embarking on a path towards healthier living can be as straightforward as weaving small daily habits into your schedule to keep you progressing. Likewise, regarding what we drink, one particular beverage could offer numerous benefits, including reduced stress, improved memory, and possibly even a longer life. In an episode of his BBC Sounds podcast, Just One Thing, renowned nutrition expert, the late Michael Mosley championed a beloved traditional drink, a simple cup of tea, declaring: "It seems like tea really is an elixir of life!" With its numerous health benefits, ranging from stronger bones to a reduced risk of heart disease, Mosley revealed that he would frequently savour the soothing beverage throughout the day, reports Surrey Live. On his programme, Mosley expressed his appreciation for this everyday pleasure, stating: "New research shows there are things in the tea itself that really can lower your stress levels. Not only that, but studies show that drinking tea could also improve your memory and reduce your risk of bone fractures." He referenced an Australian study that monitored more than 1,000 women, all aged over 75, over a period exceeding 10 years. Dr Mosley explained, "L-theanine is a bioactive amino acid that seems to make tea particularly good for relieving stress. In tests, volunteers produced less of the stress hormone Cortisol and reported feeling more relaxed after having a drink containing L-theanine compared to a drink which didn't." He also highlighted the cognitive advantages of L-theanine, stating, "But that's not the only advantage of the L-theanine in tea - it can also give your brain a boost. Recent studies have shown it can improve memory and reaction time when consumed with caffeine, which is, of course, also present in tea. "By conducting brain scans, researchers believe they may have discovered what's going on. L-theanine seems to increase the activity of alpha brainwaves which are associated with being calm and alert. It's thought that when your brain is operating at the alpha frequency, you're better able to absorb new information and are more creative." Studies have shown that women who drink more than three cups of tea per day may be almost a third less likely to experience bone fractures than those who consume one cup or less per week. Furthermore, tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which, when paired with caffeine, can lower stress levels and improve brain function. Your everyday cup of tea could be doing more good than you think, potentially helping to reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease — two of the most pressing health concerns as we get older. Finding simple ways to reduce such risks is vital, and it turns out that a regular brew might be one of the easiest solutions. Dr Mosley highlighted some fascinating research on the subject, noting that "A study of nearly half a million people in the UK found that those who drank two or more cups of tea a day had a significantly lower risk of dying over the course of the 11-year study than non-tea drinkers. "Why? Well, the benefits of tea seem to be most pronounced when it comes to stroke and heart disease, and this positive effect remained even when people added milk or sugar to their tea."