Trouble Focusing? Take a Tea Break
While Atlanta was alive with the Final Four this weekend, I was in Chicago being briefed on new nutrition research and trends. One of the sessions focused on the wonders of tea so I thought I’d share this morsel today.
Research suggests that drinking 2-3 cups of black tea can help improve alertness, attention, memory and decrease mental fatigue. These benefits result from the combined effects of caffeine and amino acid, theanine, found in black tea. Black tea has also been shown to decrease the stress hormone, cortisol.
Tea has many other health benefits but use it today to reenergize and refocus.
3 steps to the perfect cup:
- Boil filtered water (In the office? Microwave it.).
- Add your favorite loose tea or tea bag.
- Steep for 4-6 minutes.
Can’t take the bitterness? Try it straight first. If needed, take the edge off with a twist of lemon, ginger, mint, a cinnamon stick, fresh ginger, fresh mint, a teaspoon of honey or your favorite sweetener. Also, remember to remove the tea bag. The longer it steeps, the more bitter the brew but the more healthy compounds you get from the tea leaves. It’s a bitter trade off!
How do you enjoy your tea? What’s your favorite?
