Coffee or tea?
Coffee or tea? Tea or coffee?
Chances are that you start your day with either coffee or tea, two of the most popular beverages in the world. Whether you strictly drink coffee or are a tea only person, you are probably pretty devoted to your beverage of choice and consider it an essential part of your day. But which one is the healthier choice?
I will admit that I am exclusively a tea drinker and have had coffee less than a handful of times in my life. People usually find that hard to believe, but what can I say, I just love all types of tea. I promise to not let my personal opinion get in the way of a fair comparison though.
So, coffee or tea?
Coffee
Coffee is by far the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet. Then why does it sometimes get a bad reputation? A lot of that has to do with what is added to it – usually some combination of sugar and milk. And those fancy drinks at the coffee shop that are loaded with added sugars and calories. But plain coffee can be pretty great for you.
Through various research studies, coffee has been linked to a number of different health benefits. Coffee consumption has been associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as well as the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease, and colorectal cancer. One study even found that people who drink coffee lowered their overall risk of dying.
Coffee is often consumed for one purpose though – to help people feel more awake and alert. Coffee does contain significantly more caffeine than tea; one cup of coffee has approximately 4 times as much caffeine as a cup of green tea.
Tea
People all over the world have been consuming tea for thousands of years. There are many different kinds of tea, but one thing that they all have in common is their healthy reputation.
Like coffee, tea also contains antioxidants (and more of them!), which can help lower inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, among other health benefits. Drinking tea has been associated with a lower body weight, a stronger immune system, stronger bones, and less cavities. Research has also shown that regular tea drinkers have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
Interestingly, although tea contains less caffeine than coffee, because of a certain antioxidant only found in tea that stimulates your brain, tea will give you a relaxed, but alert mental boost and a potentially more smooth burst of energy.
Let’s talk a little more about caffeine. The USDA recommends no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (approximately 3 – 5 cups of coffee). But everyone metabolizes caffeine differently and some people are more sensitive to it than others. Caffeine is a stimulant and can affect different systems in the body, making people more jittery, increasing heart rate, raising blood pressure, and disrupting digestion. And, if consumed too late in the day, caffeine can also mess with your sleep. Both coffee and tea contain caffeine, but as mentioned, coffee has significantly more.
So, what is the final verdict – tea or coffee?!
As you can see, they are both pretty good for you. The main downside to either beverage is that it can stain your teeth. Just be mindful of what you are adding to your drink and how much caffeine you are consuming, and you can still proudly stick to #TeamCoffee or #TeamTea.
