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Having a brew may be more ‌beneficial than the immediate comfort it offers, experts suggested after a new study linked drinking tea and coffee with a reduced risk of dementia.
Those who drink caffeinated versions ‍of these hot drinks also have better mental skills than people who do not, the large new study found.
Researchers pinpointed the number of cups each day linked to reduced dementia risk.
Experts from Harvard University examined data on 131,000 health workers in the United States, who were tracked for an average of 43 years. This included 86,000 female nurses and 45,000 men working as health professionals.

Questionnaires about their diet were completed every two to ⁠four years, including questions about caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea consumption. Cognitive tests were also performed.
During the follow-up period, 11,033 cases of dementia were identified.
Analysis suggested that higher caffeinated coffee intake was significantly associated with lower dementia risk – those who drank the most coffee compared to the lowest appeared to have an 18 per cent reduced risk of dementia. People who drank the most tea appeared to have a 16 per cent reduced risk.
Those who consumed the most tea and coffee also showed a slower rate of cognitive decline compared to those who drank the least.
Among the nurses, higher caffeinated coffee consumption was also associated with better objective ‍cognitive performance. Higher intake of tea showed similar associations, researchers found.
But drinking decaffeinated coffee was not associated with lower dementia risk or better cognitive performance.

Overall, the authors found that the most “pronounced association” was among people ‍who drank a “moderate” amount of tea or coffee, with “no additional advantages” among people who consumed more.
They estimated that consumption of around two to three cups of caffeinated coffee each day, or one to two cups of tea per day, was linked with the lowest risk of dementia compared to people who did not ‌drink these beverages.
“Greater consumption of caffeinated coffee and tea was associated with lower risk of dementia and modestly better cognitive function, with the most pronounced association at moderate intake levels,” they said.
Lead author Yu Zhang, ‍from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says, “Dementia is one of the most important and challenging public health problems worldwide, and there are still very limited effective treatments.
“So identifying modifiable lifestyle factors that may be linked to dementia risk is critical. Coffee and tea are widely consumed globally, so even modest associations could have meaningful population-level implications.

“We analysed data from more than 130,000 women and men followed for up to 43 years, with repeated dietary assessments over time. We found that higher ‌intake of ⁠caffeinated coffee and tea was associated with a lower risk of dementia and better cognitive performance.
“We observed the most favourable associations were at moderate intake levels – the strongest associations were seen at about two to three cups per day of caffeinated coffee and about one to two cups per day of tea. We didn’t observe additional benefits at higher intake levels.”
Commenting on the study, Dr Susan Kohlhaas, executive director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, says: “This research doesn’t prove that coffee or tea protects the brain. This study shows an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
“People who drink coffee or tea may also differ in ‌other ways that affect brain health, even after careful adjustment, and the study relied partly on self-reported diagnoses.
“It was also conducted in relatively similar groups of health professionals, which limits how widely the results can be applied.”

Professor Tara Spires-Jones, division lead at the UK Dementia Research Institute, says: “This is a well-conducted study that looked at data from a large number of ‌people over many years.
“However, the study does have important ‌limitations.
“This kind of observational research cannot prove conclusively that caffeine intake was the reason for lower dementia risk; other factors related to coffee- and tea-drinking habits could be responsible.
“For example, sleep disruption and several cardiovascular health factors are associated with increased risk of dementia, and these can affect people’s choices around caffeine intake.
“Further, the data on caffeine intake were from self-reported questionnaires administered every two to four years, and if people were in early stages of dementia, they might have difficulty accurately reporting their intake, or the early brain changes could affect behaviour, including caffeine intake.”


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Wellness

Coffee and food from Mason Pocket, Hong Kong. A new study shows that moderate tea and coffee intake may lower dementia risk. Photo: Instagram/kwanheiting

Experts from Harvard University examined dietary data on 131,000 US health workers, who were tracked for an average of 43 years. Photo: Shutterstock

The consumption of around one to two cups of tea per day was linked with the lowest risk of dementia compared to people who did not ‌drink it. Photo: Shutterstock

Those who consumed the most tea and coffee also showed a slower rate of cognitive decline compared to those who drank the least in the study. Photo: Shutterstock

Those who drink caffeinated versions ‍of tea and coffee have better mental skills than people who do not, according to the study. Photo: Shutterstock

How much coffee should you drink a day to get the most health benefits? Experts reveal

Drinking coffee daily may slow cellular ageing, protect telomeres, and boost longevity and heart health, research suggests. Photo: Kylie Knott

Hong Kong-based dietitian Sally Poon says decaf coffee offers similar advantages for long-term cellular and heart health. Photo: Sally Poon

Poon says to drink coffee black if you can, and avoid adding sugar, syrups, whipped cream or creamers, “which add unnecessary calories”. Photo: Shutterstock

Coffee drinking has been linked with short-term boosts to alertness and mood and, over the longer term, lower risk of heart disease, certain cancers and other chronic conditions. Photo: Shutterstock

6 new Hong Kong coffee shops to welcome the Year of the Horse in February 2026

A hot cacao at Brisa in Causeway Bay. The chocolate-forward coffee shop is one of the exciting new openings in Hong Kong this month, as well as new branches of old favourites EN Coffee and By the O. Photo: Instagram/brisahk

EN Coffee’s new Causeway Bay location opens at 8am, earlier than the Sheung Wan original. Photo: Instagram/kofee_kakes

By the O’s third location in To Kwa Wan serves up breakfast platters, hand-drip coffee and more. Photo: Instagram/thisiswinkie

Japanese-style toast with black sesame, candied walnut and dango at Eato in Central. Photo: Instagram/eato_official

Lazy Sunday’s Lazy Spanner, the cafe’s take on the Viennese Einspanner. Photo: Instagram/kano_inhk

A chocolate and nut cookie that is crispy on the edges and gooey in the centre, at Brisa in Causeway Bay. Photo: Instagram/brisahk

Blossom, a Kowloon City cafe stalwart, has relocated within the neighbourhood. Photo: Instagram/joyjai_foodlife 

How much fat you should eat a day and what foods to eat, plus why your brain needs it

A study suggests that high-fat dairy products, such as cheese, may lower dementia risk. Quality fats are crucial for brain health and function. Photo: Shutterstock

Katia Demekhina says fat “is not optional” when it comes to brain health, because fats are fundamental building blocks of brain tissue. Photo: Katia Demekhina

On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, Demekhina suggests having 20 to 35 per cent of those calories come from fat. Photo: Shutterstock

The debate over high-fat versus low-fat diets has shaped health advice for decades, says researcher Emily Sonestedt of Lund University in Sweden. Photo: Petra Olsson

Fermented foods such as natto, or fermented soybeans, may help maintain gut barrier integrity. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

A study conducted over 43 years suggests drinking two to three daily coffees, or one to two cups of tea, for a reduced risk of dementia


A study conducted over 43 years suggests drinking two to three daily coffees, or one to two cups of tea, for a reduced risk of dementia.


Drinking tea and coffee every day may lower dementia risk, boost cognitive function

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}A study conducted over 43 years suggests drinking two to three daily coffees, or one to two cups of tea, for a reduced risk of dementia

A study conducted over 43 years suggests drinking two to three daily coffees, or one to two cups of tea, for a reduced risk of dementia