Stay Mentally Sharp With Green Tea

Have 2 cups of green tea daily. Studies have shown that green tea helps keep cholesterol in check and may lower cancer risk. Now researchers say the drink may also work to maintain cognitive function.

A Japanese study of 1,000 people over age of 70 found that those who drank 2 cups of green tea daily did better on a variety of tests of mental abilities (including memory) and the more green tea they drank, the better they performed.

It's possible that something else is responsible for the mental clarity, such as the socializing the Japanese tend to do over a cup. But the results might partially explain why rates of dementia including Alzheimer's disease, are lower in Japan, where green tea is more commonly consumed then in the United States.