Coffee drinkers often claim that they can’t function before guzzling that first cup of the day. And, in their defence, there might be some truth to it. Although it’s commonly thought that too much caffeine can be bad for you, other research suggests that drinking coffee can help you perform better and improves memory.

But what about tea drinkers? What benefits do they get after the morning brew?

Earlier this month, one Stylist writer made a case for cups of tea after hearing the news that millennials and Gen Z are abandoning traditional tea in favour of herbal teas and coffee. But those who have ditched the cuppa might want to read this new research, which reports that regular tea drinkers function better. 

A study, published in the recent Aging journal, found that people who regularly drink tea are more well organised and efficient.

“Our study offers the first evidence of the positive contribution of tea drinking to brain structure,” said the study team made up of researchers from China, Singapore and the UK.

The idea of the study was to look at the long-term benefits of people aged around 70 with a tea-drinking habit that stretched back years or decades. It was originally conducted to investigate the potential protective effect of tea-drinking against age-related decline in brain organisation.

It also looked at how tea can help protect individuals against Alzheimer’s, and found evidence of herbal tea having a protective role in eight out of nine studies.

This isn’t the first time that research around tea drinking has found the beverage to be beneficial for our wellbeing. 

More studies have previously shown that tea boosts creativity and keeps memory strong. It has even been shown to prevent heart disease.

Although there’s still plenty of research to be done into the benefits of tea, it sounds like having a cup of tea in the morning will – at the very least – help keep you focused for a day in the office.

Images: Getty