Theanine: The Beneficial Amino Acid Found Only In Tea

L-theanine acts on the brain in ways that can make you calm and happy.

Photo: © Mary Ann Rollano

“Plants know how to make food and medicine from light and water, and then give it away.”

- Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

Have you ever wondered why tea drinkers always seem so calm? A cup of tea can lift mood, improve focus, reduce anxiety, and perhaps ward off dementia.

That’s because tea contains a unique combination of caffeine and a non-protein amino acid called theanine (also known as l-theanine). Only found in tea and a rare mushroom, theanine may be the best-kept secret behind tea drinkers’ calm happiness.

These two ingredients have an extraordinary effect on the brain. Theanine has a very calming effect, while caffeine is a stimulant. Theanine modulates the caffeine, reducing its jittery effects and creating a calm and focused state of mind.

I’m referring to the Camellia sinensis plant’s black, green, white, a…