Researchers from Peking University, China, led by psychologist Lei Wang, conducted experiments to see if drinking tea really does improve mental performance and ‘convergent thinking’ in creative tasks.
‘Convergent thinking’ helps us solve problems where solutions can be found by applying a series of well-defined rules as well as logical reasoning. The findings suggest habitual tea drinking may have cognitive benefits as well health rewards and even longer life. The study also found that tea helps people persist in tasks without tiring. Moreover, habitual tea drinkers see greater cognitive benefits compared to occasional tea drinkers.
The researchers recruited a total of 100 individuals and tasked them with either completing word association tasks or solving riddles of varying difficulty. Each participant was either given a cup of water or one of Liptons black tea — both were heated to a temperature of around 108°F (42°C).
The study found that the tea drinkers performed better than the water drinkers when faced with a creative task with a high level of difficulty. However, the benefits drinking tea were only marginal when the challenge was of a lower difficulty.
Tea was also found to be associated with more persistent problem-solving — a phenomenon the team called the ‘split-half effect’. There, the researchers found the participants in the tea group were happier and more interested in the task than those in the water group, concluding there is an important practical significance for those who are engaged in creative work or those prone to fatigue.
The complete findings of the study were published in the journal Food Quality and Preference.
Coffee is the world’s most widely consumed stimulant and reports show it can boost daily energy expenditure by around five%.
Coffee contains caffeine, deemed safe for consumption in doses of up to 400mg per day and studies suggest coffee has a variety of health benefits, including combating liver disease and type 2 diabetes. Previous research even suggests it could even help people live longer.
Researchers claim combining two to four daily coffees with regular exercise would be even more effective at keeping weight off. A 2015 study showed that just a couple of cups a day could help millions of dieters stay trim once they have achieved their desired weight.