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Green tea and focus: How tea helps with concentration

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As school begins, work gets busy and the year comes to a close, many find themselves in need of a boost of focused energy to help them find their productive groove. Unfortunately, the popular choice is turning to sugary energy drinks or jittery coffee, but few know that tea is good for focus.

Green tea and focus have been widely studied so that scientists can observe the effect of green tea on focus, energy, and performance of mental tasks.

The Science of Green Tea and Focus

Scientists have found that tea may support focus due to an amino acid called L-theanine. Though amino acids are commonly associated with being the building blocks of proteins, L-theanine is different says the Cleveland Clinic. Instead of structuring proteins, L-theanine affects brain chemistry. Particularly, it helps regulate mood, stress and focus.

The above study found that L-theanine held short-term benefits on attention in healthy adults though, it still requires more clinical research to determine the exact effectiveness. Another study found that L-theanine combined with caffeine also holds cognitive and mood-altering benefits.

L-theanine is found in Camellia Sinensis, the plant that all tea leaves come from, but it is most highly concentrated in green tea leaves.

All teas come from the same plant. Black tea, green tea, oolong, and white all come from the Camellia Sinensis plant. What makes them taste different can depend on a variety of factors such as climate, elevation, growing time and many other conditions. This is why different types of tea are grown all over the world and why particular regions are better at making some varieties than others.

The variable that primarily affects the L-theanine is shading. The shading process is when tea bushes are covered for a couple weeks or months prior to harvesting. This process boosts the production of L-theanine. This is because L-theanine is produced in the roots and is brought into the leaves. When the leaves are exposed to direct sunlight, L-theanine is broken down. So, by shading the leaves the L-theanine is preserved. This also alters other factors, such as flavor.

Different tea types are shaded for different amounts of time before harvest; the amount of time even varies within one type of tea. Green tea receives some of the most shading of any variety which explains its high L-theanine concentration.

This was something Fraser Tea founder and certified tea sommelier John Fraser witnessed firsthand on a farm direct visit to Uji, Japan.

“While visiting our matcha grower in Uji, Japan, we learned how carefully shading is managed in the production of ceremonial-grade matcha,” said Fraser. “We were told how the Tencha tea may first be covered with an upper layer of shade for roughly 40 days, followed by an additional layer that creates an even darker growing environment for approximately another 40 days.”

Sencha and Bancha green teas are shaded very little if at all before harvesting, Gunpowder green tea is shaded for about 6-12 days, Gyokuro for 20-30 days, Matcha, or Tencha, for 20-30 days or 30-45 for higher quality/ceremonial grade production.

Green tea bushes being shaded before harvest.

Why Can Green Tea Support Focus and Concentration?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, L-theanine is reported to have affects such as lower stress, increased relaxation, improved sleep quality, better focus, and improved mental clarity.

This focus and mental clarity is most often described as that feeling when you’re in the zone and you’re focused without exerting too much effort.

This is what makes green tea the best tea for studying and the best tea for focus.

Best Tea for Focus

Brewed glass of iced Fraser Tea Minty Green tea with mint in the glass. There is a Fraser Tea Minty Green box sitting behind the glass.

Fraser Tea offers plenty of green tea blends that will help improve focus. Here is a list of some of our top recommendations.

  1. Matcha Organic Green Tea: Fraser tea already serves a premium grade organic Matcha, but that’s not all we offer. If you’re interested in a ceremonial grade, try our Ceremonial Grade Organic Matcha. If you prefer a bit more flavor, try our Raspberry or Blueberry Organic Matcha for a fruity twist! If you need more of a grab and go option, Emperor’s Finest Organic Berry Matcha can be bought loose or in sachets and is a mix of Matcha and Sencha.
  2. Gyokuro Organic Green Tea: Gyokuro is not often used as the base of many green tea blends due to its small batch harvesting and reputation as one of the most premium Japanese green tea blends. Compared to other green teas, Gyokuro is a deep green color and sweeter than may be expected.
  3. Gunpowder Organic Green Tea: Gunpowder is a full-bodied, robust flavor profile. The leaves are smaller and rolled so that they resemble gunpowder pellets.
  4. Bancha Organic Green Tea and Sencha Organic Green Tea: Bancha and Sencha are combined as the base of many Fraser Tea blends. Try Super Energized Organic Green Tea, Pure Energy Organic Green Tea, Focus Organic Green Tea, Minty Green Organic Green Tea and Turmeric Ginger Organic Green Tea.


Sources

  1. Gerolymos C, Saddier E, Boyer L, Fond G. Cognitive and affective effects of L-Theanine: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 randomized trials. Mol Psychiatry. 2026 Jul 6. doi: 10.1038/s41380-026-03727-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42410082.

  2. Payne ER, Aceves-Martins M, Dubost J, Greyling A, de Roos B. Effects of Tea (Camellia sinensis) or its Bioactive Compounds l-Theanine or l-Theanine plus Caffeine on Cognition, Sleep, and Mood in Healthy Participants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutr Rev. 2025 Oct 1;83(10):1873-1891. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaf054. PMID: 40314930; PMCID: PMC12422004.

  3. L-theanine Benefits

  4. Which Tea Has the Most L-Theanine: Types Ranked - ScienceInsights