Bosses worried that staff are wasting time on tea breaks could not be more wrong, for a new study suggests drinking a cuppa could unlock their hidden potential. The research found the process of making and drinking a cup of tea boosts mood and tended to enhance creative problem solving.
老闆總是擔心員工浪費工作時間在喝茶休息上，但最新科學研究顯示這是有益的。
休息喝一杯茶能夠有利激發他們潛在的能力！研究發現，在泡茶和喝茶的休息過程中能夠改善心情，且有益於增進解決問題的能力。
*cuppa (n) = a cup of tea
*boost (v) to improve or increase something 改善，提高，增強
*enhance (v) to raise to a higher degree; intensify; magnify 提高，增加，增強
The work was carried out by researchers for
the Unilever food giant, which makes the Lipton tea brand and is opening a
string of tea shops under the T2 brand, however it has been independently
reviewed and accepted by a scientific journal.
Lead scientist Suzanne Einother said:
‘These findings appear to confirm what many of us suspect; that the close to
sacred ritual of the tea break can effectively boost your mood, which in turn
can lead to other benefits such as improved problem solving.‘We suspect this effect is down to a
combination of elements including aspects of tea preparation and the taste and
aroma during consumption as well as simply taking a break from other
activities.’
這項研究由食品巨人－聯合利華的人員執行，他們旗下的茶品品牌有立頓和T2。
然而這項研究已被科學雜誌檢閱和接受。
領導科學研究者Suzanne Einother表示：「這個發現證實了許多我們的疑惑，這樣喝茶的休息能夠有效率地改善心情，甚至有更進一步的益處，像是可以增進問題的解決等等。我們懷疑這樣的影響應該與其組成物有關，像是在準備泡茶的過程和喝茶時所散發的香氣。其他簡單的休息活動亦是。」
*carry sth out (ph) 執行，貫徹，落實，完成
* aroma (n) a strong pleasant smell, usually from food or
drink
（通常指食物、飲料的）香味，香氣，芳香
The presence of caffeine and theanine,
which is an amino acid that has been linked to relaxation, may be factors in
the positive results. The experiments were carried out by the
company in Holland and involved a group of 150 people, including 116 women, who
described themselves as regular tea drinkers. One group were asked to make and drink a
cup of tea, using hot water, milk and sugar, as they normally would, a second
was given some sweets and the third was given a glass of water.
咖啡因及茶胺酸(一種胺基酸)的出現，都和放鬆有關係，也可能是影響這些正向結果的要素。
這項實驗由荷蘭的公司執行，在150個人中，有116個女人是常常喝茶的人，第一群人就像往常習慣的方式喝茶，第二群人則是給他們一些甜食，第三群人只給了一杯水。
Participants were then tested to assess
their mood, creativity and motivation to assess the impact. The tests asked
people to recount a recent happy event, take part in word games, draw an alien
creature, and solve anagram puzzles.The study found people who drank the tea
had a greater desire for success in the tests than those given water, while
they also had a faster response time when faced with difficult problems.
接著對這些實驗者進行各項評估，包括心情、創造力及積極性。他們要敘述最近開心的事情，玩文字遊戲，畫一個想像的外星人，還有猜字謎等等的活動。實驗發現喝茶的人比喝水的人在活動中有更積極的參與力，在遇到難題時反應也更敏捷。
*assess (v) to judge or decide the amount,
value, quality or importance of something
評價；評定；對…估價
* recount (v) to describe how something
happened; to tell a story
講述；敍述；描述
The team’s scientific paper said: ‘There
was a significant effect of the condition on valence – pleasure - and arousal.
Water consumption provoked lower pleasantness than tea consumption.’
It said the simple process of getting up from a desk to take a break and have a cup of tea may lead to a longer improvement in mood and well-being.
該團隊的科學論文說：這個實驗很明顯的，水能激起的愉悅感比茶還要少。
不論是起床或是在辦公桌休息，喝杯茶可能可以讓你改善心情，增加幸福感。
A host of other studies have found physical
benefits from drinking tea to add to the improvements in mood.
People who drink tea four times a day for
six weeks were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which
may play some part in the results seen by the Unilever team. Recent research in China found people who
drink two or three cups of tea a day were 37 per cent less likely to suffer a
hip fracture. Another by a team in Paris suggested it is particular good for
heart health because of the presence of beneficial flavonoids, which are a type
of antioxidant. Other studies have claimed that drinking
three to four cups of tea a day can cut the chance of a heart attack and help
prevent certain types of diabetes.
除此之外，也有其他不同的研究發現喝茶對身體的好處！
有研究顯示，人一天喝四次茶，持續六個星期，發現他們的皮質醇荷爾蒙比較低。
中國的研究發現，一天喝兩到三杯的茶，比較不容易髖部骨折。
而巴黎也有研究團隊表示，喝茶有益於心臟，因為內含有類黃酮。
最後也有其他研究聲明，一天喝三到四杯的茶可以減少心臟病的機率，
幫助預防某些類型的糖尿病。
* hormone (n) 荷爾蒙
* cortisol (n) 皮質醇
（是一種由腎上腺分泌的荷爾蒙，在應付壓力中扮演重要角色，故又被稱為「壓力荷爾蒙」）
* flavonoid (n) 類黃酮
（水果或蔬菜中的一種物質，能抵抗某些類型的癌症或心臟病）
* antioxidant (n) 抗氧化劑
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