Good news for coffee and tea lovers!
A new study suggests that drinking a moderate amount of coffee or tea could be good for your eyes and maybe even your brain.
Led by Dr. Lisa Zhuoting Zhu and her team, the research focused on the thickness of a specific part of our eyes called the “macular retinal nerve fiber layer.”
This layer is crucial for sharp vision and also serves as an indicator of brain health. Dr. Zhu says that if this layer is too thin, it might mean you have a higher risk of brain diseases.
How Was the Research Done?
This study was a part of a big health project known as the UK Biobank study. More than 35,000 people were asked how much coffee and tea they drank over the last year.
Their eye health was checked using a special type of eye scan called OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography).
The researchers used this data to find out if there was any connection between how much coffee or tea people drank and the thickness of their eye’s macular retinal nerve fiber layer.
The team looked at a lot of factors, like age, sex, income, lifestyle habits, and even the types of food and drinks people usually have.
What Did They Discover?
After crunching the numbers, the study found something interesting.
People who drank two to three cups of coffee or more than four cups of tea per day had a thicker macular retinal nerve fiber layer. And remember, a thicker layer is a good sign for both eye and brain health.
Dr. Zhu points out that there’s a “sweet spot” when it comes to coffee—meaning not too much and not too little. A medium amount of coffee seems to be the best for your eye and brain health.
However, all coffees are not the same. The study also noted that instant coffee might not be that great for your health, suggesting that good quality coffee is a better choice.
Why Should You Care?
Coffee and tea are some of the most popular drinks in the world. Many people have them every day. If you’re one of them, this study might be an extra reason to enjoy your daily cup.
Not only could it be giving you a caffeine boost, but it might also be doing good things for your eyes and brain.
However, before you start brewing another pot, keep in mind that more research is needed. Dr. Zhu says that while the findings are promising, they still need to do more studies to make sure.
So, the next time you sip on your favorite hot drink, maybe take a moment to appreciate not just the taste but also the potential health benefits it could be offering you.
But as always, moderation is key. Cheers to good health!
If you care about eye health, please read studies about how to keep your eyes healthy, and treatments of dry eye you need to know.
For more information about eye health, please see recent studies about how to protect your eyes from glaucoma, and results showing this dinosaur era crab was sharp-eyed, speedy swimmer.
The research findings can be found in Nutrients.
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