Does Drinking Herbal Tea Support Brain Health?

Plus, a new recipe for Matcha Crispy Rice Bars

My latest recipe is a matcha-spiked grown-up take on the rice krispie treat.

Hello, brain health ambassadors. Who knew you would have enough questions about tea to fill a 4-part mini-series? It’s been so much fun to go on this deep dive into all the different types of tea, examined through the lens of brain health. 

Here’s a recap if you’d like to catch up:

• It all started with this post about the Green MED diet in which drinking green tea was part of a study that showed measurable brain health benefits.

• Then we explored the question: Is drinking tea a habit that reduces dementia risk? Turns out it does (but it depends on the type of tea).

• Next we got into specifics: Which tea contains more brain-boosting polyphenols? How do you pick a high-quality tea? What are the pros and cons of loose leaf or tea bags? Plus, does adding sugar or dairy to your tea reduce its health benefits? And, what’s the deal with kombucha?

• Then, last week, I devoted an entire post to matcha—why it stands out in the world of tea, how to shop for matcha, whip up a matcha latte like a pro, and even cook with it. (Paying subscribers: don’t miss my round up of favorite brands with discount codes in this post!)

As BHK subscriber Sally D. put it: “Annie, you could write a whole book about tea!” 

Our discussion of tea would not be complete without looking at herbal teas. So for today’s newsletter, I’d like to go into the “other” category of tea—herbal teas, a drink usually made from steeping plants in water. And, I am sharing my new recipe for Matcha Crispy Rice Bars, a decidedly grown-up take on the rice krispie treats of my youth.

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What Makes a Tea an Herbal Tea?

Photo by Manki Kim on Unsplash

Herbal tea is as diverse as the plant kingdom itself. Literally any flower, leaf, root, bark, spice, herb, or fruit, when steeped in water, can be turned into herbal tea. Though the word ‘tea’ is actually a misnomer. Herbal teas are actually infusions, sometimes called tisanes. The important distinction for brain health purposes is that no real tea leaves are involved. Plus, it’s a misconception that all herbal teas are decaffeinated. Some, like yerba mate, contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.

Herbal teas are usually categorized by what part of the plant they come from. Here are some examples:

• Leaf tisanes: yerba maté, rosemary, lemon balm, mint, lemongrass, and French verbena

• Flower tisanes: chamomile, hibiscus, and lavender

• Bark tisanes: cinnamon, slippery elm, and black cherry bark

• Root tisanes: ginger, echinacea, and chicory

• Fruit/berry tisanes: elderberry, peach, and apple

• Seed/spice tisanes: cardamom, cacao, and fennel

Are herbal teas good for the brain?

Let’s get this out of the way first. There is no scientific data that links drinking any type of herbal tea to fending off Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Yes, you will find teas that say they are good for the brain, sometimes called “brain health tea” or “mental health tea.” Unlike real tea, however, like green and black, there are no population studies, randomized controlled trials, or studies in humans to say drinking herbal tea protects cognitive health. In fact, there is a surprising lack of data on the long term impact of drinking some of the world’s most commonly consumed beverages, such as yerba maté. More on that, below.

That being said, I include herbal teas here in our discussion because they can support brain health in a roundabout way. Their brain health virtues comes from:

• Providing hydration on par with drinking water, which is a basic necessity for robust brain health

• Boosting your diet with whatever phytonutrients come from the herbal tea’s plant of origin

• Acting on a facet of health that indirectly supports brain health (like the ability of hibiscus tea to lower blood pressure, more on that below)

• Replacing something else you may choose to drink that is not as good for the brain, such as sodas, energy drinks, juice, alcoholic beverages, or sugary or artificially-sweetened drinks

• Fostering a tea-drinking practice that provides a stress-reducing pause to the day

A short list of my favorite herbal teas

Hibiscus, yerba mate, and chamomile tea. Source: Unsplash.

When I was a practicing ob/gyn physician, I would at times recommend certain herbal teas to my patients. If someone was having trouble sleeping, for example, I would prescribe a nightly cup of chamomile tea before trying a sleep medication. I routinely put a box of senna tea in my patients’ post-op care package to help counteract the constipating effects of surgery. Which is not to say that these herbal remedies were backed by solid science. Instead, some herbal teas (like herbal remedies in general) just have a long history of producing a desired effect along with plenty of experience to say they are safe. 

Hibiscus

This brilliant fuschia tea made from dried hibiscus flowers has a pleasantly bittersweet flavor. The bright color of the tea is a hint to its flavonoid content—it is rich in anthocyanidin, the same plant pigment often found in berries. Hibiscus tea has shown promise in lowering blood pressure in some studies, but not others, and may also help reduce harmful blood cholesterol (like LDL-C and triglycerides). Keeping blood pressure under target levels is an important facet of preventing Alzheimer’s decades later.
Pros: may lower blood pressure and harmful blood cholesterol, is rich in anthocyanidin
Cons: if your blood pressure is already low, drinking hibiscus tea may make it too low which can lead to fainting
Favorite Use: The bittersweet nature of hibiscus makes it a good ingredient for making mocktails, like my Hibiscus Lime Sangria; I also love it as a bracing iced tea, like the Hot Hibiscus Iced Tea on page 353 of my book.

Yerba maté

Yerba maté is a drink made from the dried leaves and stems of the Ilex paraguariensis plant. Also known as maté, it is a traditional herbal tea in Latin and South America. Like black or green tea, it has caffeine, which can make you feel more alert and focused. Some studies suggest that yerba maté may be anti-inflammatory and have helpful effects on cholesterol and weight loss, but data is limited.
Pros: provides many brain stimulating compounds, including, xanthines and caffeine; may be a good source of polyphenols. In South American cultures, maté is often consumed as part of a social circle as a way to connect with others. 
Cons: some studies suggest that people who drink large amounts of yerba maté for a long time have a higher risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and lungs.
Favorite use: I enjoy drinking maté while traveling in Argentina; it’s a great way to meet people and make friends!

Chamomile

Chamomile tea is brewed from dried flower heads of one of these plants: Chamomilla recutita, Matricaria chamomilla, and Chamaemelum nobile. It is rich in polyphenols, especially flavonoids like apigenin, quercetin, and luteolin.
Pros: may be a good source of polyphenols in the diet, some of which are nutrients of interest in brain health; may be slightly sedating, thanks to the flavonoids apigenin which binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain
Cons: if you are allergic to ragweed, you may also be allergic to chamomile; there is scant data to say that chamomile provides short- or long-term benefits
Favorite use: I enjoy drinking chamomile tea mostly for the flavor, and as an alternative to drinking alcohol when dining out—it makes a nice after-dinner drink!

Cacao

Cacao tea is made from the discarded husk of cacao beans used to make chocolate. Mayan and Aztec civilizations commonly made “cacao tea,” which they favored for its antioxidants and mood-boosting properties. 
Pros: just like cacao and good-quality chocolate, cacao tea is rich in flavonoids, potassium, magnesium and zinc; it also contains theobromine, a naturally stimulating compound; plus, it tastes like chocolate
Cons: very little data exists to support health cacao tea health claims; be aware that cacao tea may be mildly caffeinated
Favorite use: I learned how to make a delicious cacao tea from Chef Reyna Venegas at Rancho La Puerta the last time I taught cooking classes there. Her Cacao and Mint Tisane has many of the same flavors as good dark chocolate. 

Chef Reyna Venegas’ Cacao and Mint Tisane 
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a small pot, add ¼ cup cacao husks and ¼ cup fresh mint. Turn off the heat, cover, and steep for 3 minutes.
Strain and enjoy hot or iced. 

There are dozens more herbal teas that deserve mention here. Berry teas (like this elderberry one) no doubt provide a good dose of flavonoids, just like berries do. Rosemary tea has promising data to say that it boosts memory and sharpens focus in people living with dementia (but unfortunately, there are no solid clinical trials). As mushrooms gain scientific credibility as a brain-healthy food, mushroom teas are sprouting up like crazy, too! (I really enjoy drinking this reishi and cacao nib tea from Rishi and this matcha mushroom tea from MUD/WTR.) A good rule of thumb is that if a plant has been shown to have brain health benefits, then drinking an infusion of it probably does, too. 

The Takeaway: There is no solid data to support drinking any type of herbal tea to boost cognitive health and reduce Alzheimer’s risk. That being said, herbal teas can be a welcome addition to your brain-healthy dietary pattern. Drinking herbal tea is definitely hydrating, and it can also provide a calming pause to the day. Some may even help you boost the polyphenols in your diet, albeit to a lesser extent than green, black, and other real teas. And each herbal tea is as unique as the plant that it comes from. If you are an herbal tea drinker, please enjoy. 

I’d love to hear what are YOUR favorite herbal teas.

RECIPE: Matcha Crispy Rice Bars

Think of these not-too-sweet bars as a more grown-up version of a rice krispie treat. Matcha, a type of green tea that comes ground into a powder, adds a small caffeine kick while providing a good dose of brain-boosting catechins, like EGCG. The combination of nut butter, seeds, and extra-virgin olive oil give these bars a brain-friendly fat profile—mostly monounsaturated fats—that’s both delicious and satiating.

Here are a few tips for cooking with matcha: 1. Use a fine mesh sieve to keep the green tea powder from clumping. 2. Avoid applying heat to ceremonial grade matcha as it may inactivate brain-healthy catechins. For these no-bake bars, you’ll fold in the matcha after toasting the other ingredients in the oven. 3. It’s fine to use either culinary matcha or ceremonial grade (which is usually more expensive) when cooking. I reserve my freshest, highest quality ceremonial matcha for drinking, but will cook with it if it’s a few months old (and thus coming to the end of its polyphenol potency).

Makes 25 bars 

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup raw, hulled pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas)
¼ cup unhulled white sesame seeds 
1 cup unsweetened almond, cashew, sunflower, or peanut butter (well-stirred)
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup crisped brown rice cereal (I use Nature’s Path Organic Rice Puffs)
2 tablespoons ceremonial or culinary grade matcha (I like the flavor of MUD/WTR rise:matcha for these; it has a hint of cardamom and cinnamon)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds on the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake until a shade darker and fragrant, 10 to 14 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together the almond butter, maple syrup, and oil. (If it is difficult to stir, place the mixture on top of the oven to warm or microwave for 10 seconds before combining.) When the oats, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds are done, transfer them to the bowl using the parchment paper. Add the cereal, matcha, and salt and combine with a rubber spatula until all the ingredients are evenly coated with matcha. 

Use the parchment paper from the baking sheet to line an 8x8-inch baking pan so that 2 sides overhang, trimming if needed. Scrape the mixture into the pan, sprinkle with black sesame seeds (if using), and press firmly into an even layer. It helps to use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a metal spatula to really compress the bars into the pan. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Use the parchment to lift from the pan and cut into 25 (1½-inch) bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Matcha Crispy Rice Bars

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A savory matcha-spiked bar packed with brain healthy ingredients

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That’s all for today. Thanks, everyone, for reading, sharing, and being a part of the BHK community. I’ll be back next week with some easy, rustic, veg-forward recipes from Sicily.

Love,

Annie

Upcoming Brain Health Retreats

Ortigia, Sicily October 13 to 19, 2024: Join me in the ancient city of Ortigia in southeast Sicily on this culinary adventure. We’ll cook with local chefs, tour almond, avocado, and olive farms, and learn all about olive oil.
Palermo, Sicily October 27 to November 4, 2024: Join me in the vibrant city of Palermo and explore less-traveled western Sicily. We’ll visit farms and cook local dishes, while soaking up the beauty of ancient Greek temples, medieval villages, coastal salt flats, and maybe even get to see olive oil pressed!
Tecate, Mexico, Rancho La Puerta BHK Group November 2024: Join other BHK subscribers as we connect with our own group as part of this wellness destination (that has an amazing spa). Just an hour from San Diego, this week-long retreat includes cooking classes at their 5-acre organic garden and culinary center. SOLD OUT, join the waitlist by contacting Donna at dsher52@hotmail.com
Costa Rica, January 9 to 14, 2025. If a cozy cabaña nestled in the jungle near the beach is more your style, join me on this 6-day brain health retreat. We’ll enjoy energizing yoga, plant-based cuisine, waterfall walks, and a comprehensive brain health education in this jungle oasis.