The daily drink centenarians love-and it tastes surprisingly good.

The kettle clicked off just as the old man started humming. Ninety-eight years old, hands a little shaky, but his morning ritual was so practiced it had its own kind of grace. He reached for a battered tin box, lifted the lid, and the whole kitchen filled with a soft, citrusy scent. No fancy latte, no collagen powder, no influencer-approved smoothie. Just a simple, amber drink he’d been pouring into the same chipped cup since before most of us were born.

He took one slow sip, smiled, and said, “This is my secret. I’ve had it every day for as long as I can remember.”

The drink? Plain, fragrant green tea.

The quiet daily habit that keeps showing up in longevity hotspots

Travel through the world’s so-called “Blue Zones”-those rare pockets where people regularly live past 100-and you notice something that seems almost boring at first. Not a super pill. Not a miracle gadget. Just cups. Steaming cups, chilled cups, tiny cups, big mugs.

On the Japanese island of Okinawa, elders sip grassy green tea from delicate porcelain cups all morning. In Nicoya, Costa Rica, older farmers hold sturdy enamel mugs of herbal tea at dawn before heading into the fields. None of them talk about “biohacking” or anti-aging. They just drink-every day-like breathing.

One centenarian from Okinawa, a retired schoolteacher named Misako, laughed when a journalist asked her for her secret. She pointed at the kettle and said, “I drink my tea, I gossip, I walk to the market. That’s all.” Her doctor’s notes tell a deeper story, though: low inflammation markers, steady blood pressure, and cognitive tests still sharp enough to embarrass someone half her age.

In Sardinia, an Italian man who turned 102 last spring shrugged off questions about supplements. “We had no supplements,” he said. “We had tea.” His was a mix of wild herbs and green tea leaves that his wife blends by smell alone-no scales or timers, just habit and memory.

Scientists keep circling back to this same humble drink. Green tea is packed with polyphenols, especially EGCG, a compound that appears to protect blood vessels, calm chronic inflammation, and support brain health. Population studies from Japan show that people who drink several cups a day tend to have lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and cognitive decline.

The trick isn’t one magical cup. It’s that quiet, daily repetition that turns a simple beverage into a lifestyle. A cup with breakfast. Maybe another in the afternoon. Over decades, that adds up to a kind of background shield for the body. Nothing flashy-just steady, gentle support.

How to drink green tea like the people who actually live longer

The centenarians who swear by green tea don’t treat it like a chore. They treat it like a small pleasure. Start the same way. Instead of boiling water to a rolling, furious boil, let it cool a bit-around 70–80°C (158–176°F) if you want to be precise, or just wait a minute after the kettle clicks off.

Add a teaspoon of loose leaves or use a quality tea bag. Steep for 1–3 minutes, not 10. You want it delicate, grassy, even slightly sweet-not harsh or bitter. Sip it from a cup you actually enjoy holding. That detail sounds silly, but it changes how your brain experiences the ritual.

The mistake most of us make? We treat green tea like a vitamin we’re “supposed” to take. We rush. We chug. We forget it on the counter and then microwave it into something sad. Then we decide we don’t like green tea.

Try doing the opposite. Tie it to something you already do every day: checking email, morning journaling, the few quiet minutes after dropping the kids off at school. You’re not aiming for perfection. You’re aiming for “most days, without pressure.” Let’s be honest-nobody really does this every single day. But four or five days a week, over years, is already a quiet revolution.

One longevity researcher in Tokyo told me something that stuck with me for weeks:

“People look for dramatic changes,” she said, “but the things that keep showing up in centenarians’ lives are boringly consistent. Green tea, simple food, walking, friends. It’s the repetition that matters, not the drama.”

Then there’s the taste. Good green tea doesn’t need sugar, syrups, or a complicated recipe. Start with something gentle, then explore. Here’s a simple list to try:

• For beginners - Try a mild Japanese sencha or a jasmine green tea. Short steep, cooler water.
• For summer - Cold-brew green tea overnight in the fridge. Smooth, sweet, almost no bitterness.
• For comfort - Add a slice of fresh ginger or a twist of lemon. Think warmth, not a science project.
• For focus - A mid-morning cup can replace that second coffee and offer a calmer, longer-lasting lift.
• For ritual - Use the same cup, the same spot, the same time of day. Let your body recognize, “This is my moment.”

A small daily joy that quietly reshapes the day

There’s a quiet power in having one thing you do for your body that doesn’t feel like punishment. No tracker, no app, no lecture-just that moment when the steam hits your face and your shoulders drop an inch. We’ve all had mornings where the day is already sprinting before we’ve even had time to say good morning to ourselves. A cup of green tea won’t fix your life, but it can put a small brake on the chaos.

Some people notice better focus. Others feel lighter after meals. Some just like having a comforting, grown-up drink that isn’t wine or another coffee. The centenarians don’t care what you call it. They care that you keep showing up to that simple, daily meeting with yourself.

Key point	Detail	Value for the reader
Daily green tea habit	1–3 cups of quality green tea, gently brewed, most days of the week	An easy, low-effort way to support long-term heart and brain health
Ritual over perfection	Tie tea to an existing routine, use a cup you enjoy, keep it pleasant	Helps the habit stick without feeling like another wellness obligation
Flavor that works for you	Adjust water temperature, steeping time, and add-ins like lemon or ginger	Turns a “healthy drink” into something you actually look forward to

FAQ

• Is any green tea fine, or do I need something special?
  Start with decent loose-leaf tea or higher-quality tea bags. Very cheap tea can taste harsh and tempt you to add a lot of sugar. You don’t need luxury imports-just avoid the bottom-shelf stuff.

• How many cups a day do centenarians usually drink?
  Studies from Japan often mention 3–5 cups across the day, but those cups may be smaller than typical American mugs. Aim for 1–3 regular mugs and pay attention to how you feel and how you sleep.

• Can I drink it at night without hurting my sleep?
  Green tea has less caffeine than coffee, but it still has caffeine. If you’re sensitive or already struggle with sleep, have your last cup earlier in the afternoon or switch to a low-caffeine or roasted green tea in the evening.

• What if I don’t like the taste of green tea?
  The problem is often water that’s too hot or steeping too long. Try cooler water, a shorter steep, or a jasmine or mint green tea. You can also cold-brew it-the flavor is much smoother and naturally a bit sweeter.

• Is bottled or canned green tea just as good?
  Many bottled versions are loaded with sugar or contain only small amounts of real tea extract. Read the label carefully. Freshly brewed at home is usually cheaper, cleaner, and easier to turn into a daily ritual.