Improve Mental Alertness: Iced Green Tea

Feel a bit scatterbrained now and then? Make yourself a big jug of sun tea.

Not for the caffeine, but for one heck of a potent compound that could fine-tune your focus. It's theanine.

Your Brain on Theanine
When people in a study consumed theanine (an amino acid) and then performed a challenging mental task that required both looking and listening skills, their brains became quite active. Specifically, the right parietooccipital cortex lit up. That's a part of the brain's circuit system tied to attention span. So if you feel more alert and focused after a tea break, it's no wonder! (Now, get your brain circuits buzzing with this sudoku puzzle.)

Be Like the Brits
More reasons to brew a pot -- or steep a jug -- anytime of year:

• You'll get antioxidants aplenty. (But adding this could thwart the benefits.)
• Tea gives great face. Read about green tea's skin effects.
• Two words: skinny jeans. Here's how tea helps with weight control.
• Tea promises younger knees, too. Here's how tea helps your joints.

Recipe Corner
For an end-of-the-day refresher, try the nonalcoholic version of this Iced Mint Green Tea recipe from EatingWell.

The deployment of intersensory selective attention: a high-density electrical mapping study of the effects of theanine. Gomez-Ramirez, M., Higgins, B. A., Rycroft, J. A., Owen, G. N., Mahoney, J., Shpaner, M., Foxe, J. J., Clinical Neuropharmacology 2007 Jan-Feb;30(1):25-38.