

The combination of these two substances may even be synergistic, as one study found that people who ingested L-theanine and caffeine together had better attention than when either was used alone ( 14, 16). L-theanine is thought to balance the effects of caffeine. L-theanine is thought to cross the blood-brain barrier and trigger the release of an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which brings about a relaxed but alert state ( 12, 13, 14).Īt the same time, it promotes the release of the mood-enhancing hormones dopamine and serotonin ( 15). Green and black teas also contain the amino acid L-theanine, which is not present in coffee. It also aids the release of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin ( 10, 11).Īs a result, caffeine can boost alertness, mood, vigilance, reaction time, and short-term recall ( 9).

Green tea contains less caffeine than black tea - about 35 mg per 8-ounce (230-ml) cup, compared with 39–109 mg for the same serving of black tea ( 2, 8, 9).Ĭaffeine stimulates your nervous system by blocking the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine. Green and black tea both contain caffeine, a known stimulant. Similarly, drinking at least 3 cups of black tea could reduce your risk of heart disease by 11% ( 2). What’s more, two reviews examining over 10 quality studies each found that drinking green and black tea can lower your blood pressure ( 5, 6).įurthermore, another review of green tea studies found that people who drank 1–3 cups per day had a 19% and 36% reduced risk of heart attack and stroke respectively, compared with those who had less than 1 cup of green tea each day ( 7). The study also found that both types of tea helped reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides ( 4). One animal study found that green and black tea were equally effective at preventing blood vessel plaque formation by 26% at the lowest dose and up to 68% at the highest dose ( 4). The flavonoids in green and black tea are thought to protect your heart ( 2, 3). For example, green tea contains a much higher amount of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), whereas black tea is a rich source of theaflavins ( 2). However, the type and amount of flavonoids they contain differ. Specifically, they contain flavonoids, a subgroup of polyphenols. Can protect your heartīoth green and black tea are rich in a group of protective antioxidants called polyphenols. While green and black tea differ, they may provide some of the same health benefits.

Share on Pinterest Shared benefits of green and black tea
