Coffee and tea lovers, rejoice; decaf fans, rethink. Those cups of caffeine could lower your dementia risk, new research suggests.

In a long-term, observational study of nearly 132,000 healthy adults, daily consumption of two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of tea was associated with lowering dementia risk, slowing cognitive decline and preserving cognitive function. The findings were published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“We are not recommending that people who don’t drink coffee start drinking,” said lead study author Dr. Yu Zhang, a research trainee at Mass General Brigham in Boston. “We are just seeing that for people who already drink coffee, the results are really reassuring.”

Decaffeinated coffee didn’t yield the same neuroprotective benefits.

In addition to Mass General Brigham, scientists at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard studied the health and caffeine habits of health professionals from two research datasets, which collectively spanned 1980 to 2023.

The first involved more than 86,000 women, whose average age was 46, from the Nurses’ Health Study. The second involved more than 45,000 men, whose average age was 54, from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, a complementary project focused on men’s health.

To measure intake of regular coffee, decaf coffee and tea, participants completed diet questionnaires every two to four years. After a median follow-up period of nearly 37 years, more than 11,000 people had been diagnosed with dementia.

People who consumed more caffeinated coffee or tea were less likely to develop dementia, with a stronger association among those 75 and younger. Specifically, people who drank the most caffeinated coffee had an 18% lower risk compared with those who drank the least. Among tea drinkers, people who consumed the most had a 14% lower risk than those who consumed the least.

Researchers also determined the optimal number of cups, or 8-ounce servings, of each beverage. Compared with people who didn’t drink coffee or tea, those who had two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of tea per day had the lowest dementia risk. That’s about 300 milligrams of caffeine daily.

What’s more, the association between caffeinated coffee and tea intake and dementia risk held true for people who were at high risk of developing dementia, including those with the APOE4 gene, a significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

Even so, Zhang said, dementia is a complex condition that can’t be wholly prevented by dietary intervention.

“Drinking coffee alone does not provide the magical effect that can prevent people from getting dementia,” he said.

Caffeine’s cognitive benefits are hard to isolate

Globally, 57 million people were living with dementia in 2021, according to the World Health Organization. The condition disproportionately affects women, and Alzheimer’s disease is its most common form.

Dr. Kellyann Niotis, a preventive neurologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, said her patients often ask her what they can do to decrease their odds of developing dementia, including whether coffee may help or harm them.

Previous research on coffee, tea and dementia risk has been inconclusive, said Niotis, who wasn’t involved in the study.

“It is really a big challenge to disentangle the effects of coffee as a whole from all of the other compounds that are also in coffee — and tea,” she said. “It’s definitely possible that these other compounds are interacting with each other, or synergistically with the caffeine itself, to exert some benefit.”

Beyond trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, such bioactive substances include polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, she said.

“The method of taking out the caffeine from coffee is not just extracting the caffeine; it’s also extracting other polyphenols that are in the coffee,” Niotis said. “It’s easy to say, ‘Well, it’s the caffeine that’s beneficial.’”

The new research has several limitations. It didn’t differentiate between regular or decaf tea, or tea type, such as black, green or white. Coffee preparation methods weren’t specified either. Factors such as roast level, bean origin and brewing technique may influence concentrations of caffeine and other compounds, the authors wrote.

Participants also self-reported caffeine consumption via soda and chocolate, which aren’t typically considered healthy.

In terms of total caffeine intake, researchers found that people who consumed more caffeine had a lower risk of dementia.

Coffee, tea may help safeguard cognitive health

Another part of the study measured participants’ subjective cognitive decline and objective cognitive function.

At several points throughout the follow-up period, all participants completed questionnaires that tested memory, attention, executive function and visuospatial skills.

Additionally, women older than 70 were tested using telephone-based cognitive assessments, including the East Boston Memory Test. Older men weren’t tested.

Higher intake of caffeinated coffee and tea was associated with lower prevalence of subjective cognitive decline and slightly better objective cognitive performance.

Benjamin Katz, an associate professor in the department of human development and family science at Virginia Tech, researches how lifestyle factors can influence cognitive function throughout a person’s life. He noted that the study didn’t cover energy drinks, which in shot form may contain more caffeine than a cup of coffee.

More research is needed on caffeine’s possible neuroprotective effects, said Katz, who wasn’t part of the study.

Additionally, the study didn’t mention whether people added milk, cream, sugar or other sweeteners to their drinks. Katz’s research has discovered a link between sugar-sweetened beverages and increased risk of cognitive impairment.

“If you’re drinking a couple cups of coffee but you’re putting sugar and milk into it, that may be counteracting the effects,” he said. “But [diet]’s really only a small component of a much larger set of lifestyle decisions that you would want to be focusing on to maintain brain health during aging.”

Aerobic exercise, for example, has been shown to support cognitive function, Katz said.

“In addition to things like getting enough sleep and not smoking, another big one is cognitive engagement, like doing a lifelong learning program,” Katz said. “If you’re an older adult, those are things that are really valuable.” (NBC News)

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Minister Bimal Rathnayake says the increase in wages for estate workers has become a challenge for the government.

He revealed that both the Ministry of Plantation Industries and the Ministry of Finance are continuously intervening in this matter.

“Wages for estate workers are low. This is an industry. We saw in the recent past that taxed businesses had obtained profits. The Ministries of Plantation Industries and Finance are working to increase the wages of estate workers. We regret that we have been unable to do so yet,” he said. 

Minister Rathnayake assured that the government will not abandon the task, adding that the government will fulfil its responsibility. 

He further expressed hope that the matter will be resolved in the next few months. 

Minister Rathnayake made these remarks while speaking to the media following a site visit to the Nanu Oya railway station yesterday. (Newswire)

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Sri Lankan tea, known for generations as ‘Ceylon Tea’, carries behind it a heritage and a success story like no other, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said.

The PM made these remarks while attending the International Tea Day, Tea for Harmony: Yaji 2025 China-Sri Lanka Cultural Gala event held in Colombo yesterday. 

This event was organised by the China Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka, the Department of Cultural and Tourism of XiZang Autonomous Region, China, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China and the Embassy of China in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the event, the Prime Minister further said, “It is a great pleasure to address you at the Tea for Harmony: Yaji 2025 China–Sri Lanka Cultural Gala- especially today, as we celebrate International Tea Day.  This day offers a unique opportunity to reflect on and honour the rich cultural heritage, health benefits, and economic importance of tea, a beverage that has united people and cultures across centuries.

PM Amarasuriya further said that the Sri Lanka-China relationship is centuries old, and has been historically strengthened by shared religious and cultural values.

“Sri Lanka is known to the whole world for its tea due to its unique flavour, aroma and colour. Sri Lankan tea, known for generations as ‘Ceylon Tea’, carries behind it a heritage and a success story like no other. It is therefore in the interests of the Sri Lankan Tea brand to continue to work towards ensuring dignified work conditions and protection for all those involved in the production, especially the pluckers who have historically faced many problems. This is something we, as a government, are committed towards,” she said. 

The PM went on to note that today, Sri Lanka stands as the world’s third-largest tea exporter, accounting for approximately 15% of global tea exports. 

“In the face of significant challenges, our tea industry recorded impressive achievements in 2024. Moreover, Ceylon Tea is the major supplier to the Chinese market among all tea-producing nations in the world. The Chinese market ranked as the top five destinations for supplying Ceylon Tea. 

“In conclusion, I extend sincere appreciation to the Chinese Embassy in Colombo for organising this wonderful celebration of tea and culture. Let us continue to cherish and promote the harmony that tea brings to our peoples and our nations,” she added. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted for the implementation of the charter for the upcountry plantation community in Sri Lanka.

The charter for the upcountry plantation community in Sri Lanka has been drafted as a basic document in guiding government efforts, enabling the government to achieve the commitment of the government to fully integrate the upcountry plantation community into the wider socioeconomic structure. 

According to the government, through the implementation of said charter, it will be possible to address the challenges continuously encountered by the plantation community and to build an equitable society within Sri Lanka. 

As such, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Estate Infrastructure Development to implement the said charter for the upcountry plantation community. (Newswire)

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The proposal to provide chemical fertilizer at a concessionary price through the State Fertilizer Company Ltd to tea growers to increase tea production has been approved by the Cabinet. 

The government said it has been identified that the reduction in the use of fertilizers in cultivation, due to the increase in the price of fertilizers, and the banning of chemical fertilizers during the past period, have caused a decline in tea production. 

Therefore, a requirement has arisen at present to grant concessions to the tea growers to popularize the use of fertilizers for increasing tea production. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries to provide a 50 kg chemical fertilizer bundle at a concessionary price of Rs. 4000/= to the tea growers through the State Fertilizer Company Ltd. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s scenic train journey has been featured in a Japanese TV commercial for tea brand ‘Gogo Tea’.

The commercial begins at a local railway station moving on to feature Sri Lanka’s picturesque tea plantations, tea pluckers, and the iconic Nine-Arch bridge in Demodara. 

Titled Gogo Tea “Sri Lanka” by Kirin TVC, the shoot for the commercial has been handled by a crew of Sri Lankans. (Newswire) 

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Advocata Institute released its latest report titled “Market Competitiveness of the Tea Industry of Sri Lanka” on Thursday (Dec 28). The report is authored by Sudaraka Ariyaratne, Research Consultant at Advocata Institute.

The report begins with an introductory chapter that details the historical evolution of the island’s tea industry. The report finds that the present standing of the industry in the context of the international market is not too grim, but argues that issues related to the labour market, capital investment, value addition, and quality control limit the industry’s competitiveness in the global stage. The rest of the report takes the form of four discussion papers, each on the four areas of concern listed above, that present an economic theory-based lens to approach these issues, and discuss potential solutions.

The attendance-based minimum wage model is partly responsible for the high costs of production of Sri Lanka’s RPCs, and their low productivity, helping make Ceylon tea uncompetitive in the international market. In contrast, the smallholder sector, with its market-based wage model, stands out as a more efficient counterpart. Despite being billed as a guarantor of a living wage, the minimum wage model imposes a ceiling on the earnings of estate workers, and also helps preserve the traditional power structures of tea plantations, in which estate workers sit at the bottom. Discussion Paper 1 establishes an economic framework to analyse the minimum wage model, and explores the strategies that RPCs could pursue, with the help of policymakers and other stakeholders of interest, to enhance the industry’s competitiveness under the minimum wage model. The paper also evaluates alternative wage models proposed by stakeholders, that take a more market-based approach to employment within the industry.

Long-term capital investments, such as replanting and infilling, are an essential element of sustained land productivity in the tea industry of Sri Lanka; however, neither RPCs, nor smallholders, seem incentivised to undertake investments of this form. Discussion Paper 2 establishes an economic framework, based on the Growth Diagnostic Framework by Hausmann, Rodrik, and Velasco (2005), to discern the causes of low levels of long-term capital investments in Sri Lanka’s tea estates. The paper finds that to varying degrees, the low rate of returns, uncertainties about the appropriability of returns, and low savings prevent RPCs and smallholders from embarking on long-term capital investments into tea lands. The paper explores the different routes the industry may take, with the help of policymakers and other relevant parties, to overcome these binding constraints to long-term investments, to facilitate the long-term sustenance of the industry.

Sri Lanka has the highest level of domestic value addition among black tea producing countries, but little is known about the economics of value addition. Discussion Paper 3 explores what it means to add value to made tea, what explains the present levels of value addition in the Sri Lankan tea industry, and how profits from value addition are distributed along the value chain. Additionally, the paper establishes an economic framework, based on Porter’s competitive advantage theory, to approach value addition from a strategic point of view, with the aim of optimising returns to the local industry. Based on this framework, the paper explores different strategies the industry may pursue, either in the mass market or in the specialty market, to increase the international competitiveness of Ceylon tea, and enhance the returns to the domestic stakeholders.

Quality is an important determinant of the premium that Ceylon tea fetches in the international market. In the absence of symmetric information between the buyers and sellers of Ceylon tea, high quality sellers receive lower prices than they deserve, which both drives them out of the market, and lowers the overall price and quality of Ceylon tea. Discussion Paper 4 establishes an economic framework, based on George Akerlof’s theory of adverse selection and the theoretical foundations of economics of trust, to understand how asymmetric information on quality negatively impacts the market for Ceylon tea. The paper also explores several strategies, both regulatory and incentive-based, that policymakers and industry stakeholders may pursue to eliminate asymmetric information from the market for Ceylon tea, in order to enhance the premiums that the industry receives.

The report is set to be presented to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera and Jivan Thondaman, and relevant stakeholders of the tea industry in the coming days.

The report on Market Competitiveness of the Tea Industry of Sri Lanka can be accessed on www.advocata.org

Advocata is an independent policy think tank based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. We conduct research, provide commentary and hold events to promote sound policy ideas compatible with a free society in Sri Lanka. Visit advocata.org for more information.

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The All Ceylon Canteen Owners Association has decided to amend the prices of certain food items in line with the recent reduction in gas prices in Sri Lanka.

Chairman of the Association Asela Sampath stated that the price of a rice packet, Koththu, and Fried Rice will be reduced by 20% from midnight today (05).

Asela Sampath further stated that the price of a cup of plain tea will be reduced by Rs. 10 with the new price Rs. 30, while a cup of milk tea will cost Rs. 90. (NewsWire)

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