An interesting project called Blue Zones is recording the lifestyle secrets of the communities with the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world.
The people in the live regions in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the US that live to be 100 have a lot going for them. Genes probably play a small role, but these folks also have strong social ties, tightly-knit families and lots of opportunities to exercise.
As we were examining the dietary secrets of the Blue Zones, as described in author Dan Buettner’s latest book, The Blue Zones Solution, we were struck by how essential tea drinking is in these regions. In fact, Buettner's Blue Zones Beverage Rule—a kind of guideline summarized from his 15 or so years of studying these places—is: "Drink coffee for breakfast, tea in the afternoon, wine at 5 p.m."
Science has plenty to say about the healthful virtues of green tea. Researchers are most enthusiastic about the components in green tea, as well as foods like cocoa. Why might they help so many Okinawans in Japan break 100? Some components in green tea can lower the risk of stroke, heart disease and several cancers. One review study also found that drinking green tea can slightly improve metabolism (新陈代谢).
If you find yourself on the island of Ikaria, the Greek Blue Zone in the middle of the Aegean, you won't be offered any tea made with tea leaves. Instead, Ikarians typically make their daily cup of tea with just one fresh herb that they have picked themselves that day—either rosemary, wild sage, oregano, marjoram, mint or dandelion, all plants that may have anti-inflammatory (消炎的) properties, which may help lower blood pressure. This could explain Ikaria's very low dementia (痴呆) rate, since high blood pressure is a risk factor for the disease.