My first tea class introduced some basic information about tea ("Camellia Sinensis" is the tea plant genus) such as the definition of tea, history, health benefits, cultivation and production. The production of tea is one of the differentiating factors between tea varieties and is quite interesting (which I'll write about at another time) but I think what equally interested me was the brief discussion about L-theanine, an amino acid in tea.
L-theanine or theanine is almost uniquely found in the leaves of the tea plant. It is believed to contribute to the taste of tea and to provide a calming effect. It has also been proposed that theanine in combination with caffeine results in improving cognitive performance and alertness (E.g. See study from Nutr Neurosci.2008 Aug;11(4):193-8.). The research is quite interesting as there are a few other studies and reviews that support this belief. If this research was utilized to promote tea consumption, could tea be the new mid morning, after lunch, or 3pm break beverage of choice to improve performance and efficiency? Maybe good quality tea should be available to workers alongside coffee.
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