Green tea could help combat memory loss and improve learning caused by a high fat and sugar western diet, a recent study suggests. The drink rich in a chemical that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and heart protection properties also protects against diabetes and obesity. Green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat everything from headaches to depression.
The popular drink is also richer in antioxidants than other teas because of the way it is processed by steaming rather than fermentation. It contains B vitamins, folate, manganese, potassium, magnesium, caffeine and other antioxidants, notably catechins. Previous studies suggested green tea boosted weight loss, reduced cholesterol, combated cardiovascular disease, and prevented cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
But its impact on cognitive decline triggered in the brain by a Western diet remained unclear. Researcher Dr Xuebo Liu at the College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, in Yangling, China said: "Obesity, which is caused by an energy imbalance between calorie intake and consumption, has become a major international health burden. "Obesity increases the risk of insulin resistance and age-related cognitive decline, accompanied by peripheral inflammation.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol in green tea, possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective activities. "However, few reports have focused on its potential effect on cog.