Looking after my brain health has become a focus for me. I’ve dealt with anxiety for years, and dementia runs deep in my family. My grandmother had it, my mum had it, and so did two of her siblings.
While the experts say dementia isn’t directly inherited, they agree that having it in the family can raise the risk. That’s why I’ve made brain health a serious part of my diet since 2024.
Since my health scare in 2024 that required me to massively change my lifestyle, I’ve been to numerous food talks and had appointments where diet was the focus. One thing that kept being discussed was how to stop my soda consumption, and the suggested solution was herbal tea.
Herbal tea is often simple to make and has numerous health benefits. Including helping support memory and focus. The teas in this list are ones I’ve tried myself, some I still drink daily. They’re not miracle fixes, but they’ve been part of a lifestyle change for me that’s making a difference, so they might help you too.
1. Ginkgo Biloba Tea
Ginkgo biloba tea is often said to help with memory and focus, especially in people who suffer from mental health issues like dementia. People believe it works by helping more blood flow to the brain. This can help people think more clearly and remember things better.
It’s one of the most recommended teas for people suffering from early dementia. However, the studies conducted on healthy brains (no dementia) show little to no positive impact. That’s why it’s important to do your research before buying it.
Additionally, you usually can’t find this tea in regular grocery stores. It’s easier to buy online. A box with 18 tea bags costs around $9.
I’ve only bought one box myself, so I can’t say much from personal experience. It was recommended to me a lot, but after reading more about it, I’m still not sure of its value to me right now. Still, that doesn’t mean it can’t help someone else.
2. Green Tea
Green tea is full of antioxidants. These help protect the brain and can improve memory, focus, and even lower the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s. It’s known to help the brain stay sharp as we age.
This is one of the teas I drink every day. I used to only drink Dr. Pepper and coffee, but now I stick to water, juice, smoothies, and herbal teas. Teas are also a great way to stay hydrated.
I’ll be honest, I don’t love the taste of green tea. It reminds me of boiled vegetables or a freshly cut lawn. It’s not bad, just not something I drink for flavor. But the health benefits of green tea are numerous, and that’s why I keep it in my routine.
You can buy a box of 100 tea bags for around $15, which lasts our house about 2 to 3 months. That makes it one of the most affordable healthy drinks out there.
I’ve been drinking one green tea every morning after breakfast for six months now. I can’t say for sure if it’s helped my memory or focus, but I don’t need coffee to wake up anymore, which is a big change for me.
I also don’t feel that tired crash in the middle of the morning. Though to be fair, I’ve changed my whole diet too, so it’s probably a mix of things helping me feel better.
Related: The Best Teas to Replace Your Morning Coffee
3. Matcha Tea
Matcha is a type of green tea, but it’s in powder form. It has a lot of antioxidants and something called L-theanine, which can help you feel more focused and clear-headed. It gives a strong boost to your brain, just like green tea, but it’s incredibly concentrated.
My wife and I tried matcha tea powder once, and we didn’t know how to make it properly. You’re supposed to mix it into a thick paste first, then add hot (not boiling) water. We didn’t do that, we drank a hot, thick shot of paste, and it was awful. Luckily, we figured it out later, and when done right, it has a sweeter taste than green tea.
That said, it’s not as easy to make as throwing a tea bag into a cup. You need to mix it carefully. It’s also not cheap, a month’s supply costs about $25 to $30.
Even though it’s more concentrated, matcha doesn’t offer different brain benefits from green tea, it just gives you more of the same stuff in one go.
4. Turmeric Tea
Turmeric tea is made from turmeric (obviously), a bright yellow spice. It has something in it called curcumin. Curcumin can help your brain by fighting inflammation and acting as an antioxidant.
Some people believe it may help protect your memory and lower the chance of getting diseases like Alzheimer’s.
My wife makes turmeric tea at home. She grates fresh turmeric and lemon zest into a jug, then adds hot (not boiling) water. After about 5 minutes, she pours it into cups with a lemon slice. It can taste a bit peppery and earthy. If you like that kind of flavor, it works well in tea, smoothies, and even coffee.
You can buy turmeric tea bags, about $15 for 50 bags, but we prefer to buy the spice itself. It’s much cheaper and we get to use it in a lot of meals too, like curries.
We don’t drink turmeric tea every day, but we do have it in our smoothies and juices, which we have daily. Turmeric has great health benefits, especially for the brain.
I can’t say for sure if it’s made a big difference to me, but since changing my whole diet, I’ve had fewer cravings, less crashing, and I just feel steadier overall. So it’s part of something that’s working for me, especially when it comes to focus.
5. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is great for your brain. It can help you feel more awake, think clearly, and stay focused. Even just smelling peppermint can give your brain a little boost.
I usually have green tea in the morning after breakfast, but peppermint tea is what I drink during the day. I feel like it helps me stay alert and clear-headed. I can’t say for sure if it’s the tea or the whole new diet I’m on, but something’s working for me.
One thing I notice is the smell, it’s strong and fresh, and it instantly wakes you up a bit. The taste isn’t for everyone, but I like it. It has a kind of clean, sharp flavor that reminds me of medicine, but in a good way.
I buy peppermint tea bags, which usually cost around $10 for 50. But I coupon and look for deals. I often find 100 bags for $10, which is great because I drink 2 or 3 cups every day. At that price, it’s not too expensive.
The best part about peppermint tea is all the health benefits. It helps your mind, but it’s also good for other things too.
6. Rosemary Tea
Rosemary tea is known to help the brain work faster and more accurately. It has something in it called 1,8-cineole, which is linked to better thinking and memory.
Now, I always try to write from personal experience. And we did buy some rosemary tea bags, but I only had one half-cup, and that was enough for me. The smell and taste reminded me of old-fashioned rosemary sweets my mum used to like. Maybe it was the flavor, or the memories it brought back, but I haven’t gone back to it since.
Even though I can’t speak from experience, I’ve read that rosemary tea has strong benefits for mental speed and accuracy. To me, those are signs that your memory and focus are working well. So while it’s not for me, it might be helpful for others.
Related: The Best Teas for Relaxation, Perfect for a Good Night’s Sleep
7. Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is great for your brain. It can help you remember things better and react faster. It also fights inflammation, which might help protect your brain as you get older.
My wife buys fresh ginger and often makes ginger tea at home. She once tried mixing it with turmeric, but she didn’t like that combo, though we oddly still use both in smoothies.
Making ginger tea is a little different than turmeric tea. You slice up the ginger and boil it in water, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes. After that, you need to pour it through a sieve to catch the ginger bits. We don’t drink it every day, just a couple of times a week, but it smells amazing while it’s warming.
Since it takes a bit more effort to make, we always add spices like cinnamon and even a pinch or two of paprika. It might sound strange, but it ends up tasting warm and spicy, kind of like Christmas in a cup. It’s really flavorful, and it helps stop sweet cravings for me.
Out of all the teas we have, I think ginger tea is the cheapest to make. We can pick up ginger roots for about $3 per pound, and that’s enough for around two weeks of drinks.
Adding teas like these to your routine can be a simple way to support memory and focus as you age.
While no tea is a magic fix, and I cannot say with any honesty, that the teas I drink are driving my new-found memory or focus, I can say that they are part of a healthier lifestyle I’ve started over the last year, and when combined with all the other dietary changes, it is making a difference for me.