Coffee and tea both have their merits, but it also must be noted that they’re not entirely the same. Coffee is a beverage made from roasted, ground coffee beans and brewed with hot water. Tea is often made from dried leaves or tea powder steeped in boiled water.
Both drinks contain many healthful substances, including polyphenols, antioxidants and free-radical scavengers, which can help prevent cancer; some also contain phytonutrients which protect cells against cancer, ageing and heart disease. But while they are both healthful beverages, there are a few differences. For example, tea is made from water, but coffee is not; some types of tea have caffeine, but not all types of coffee do. Just as important to note, some teas prove to be diuretics when consumed in large amounts. Others contain significant amounts of fluoride, which can lead to dental problems if consumed on a daily basis.
Coffee and tea are two of the most famous beverages worldwide, with black tea being the most popular, accounting for more than 78 per cent of total tea production and consumption. Whereas both tea and coffee offer the same health advantages are some notable distinctions.
Caffeine Content
Caffeine is the globe’s most researched and overused stimulant. It’s found in various beverages, notably tea and coffee, and it has both positive and negative implications for human health. While the amount of caffeine in coffee varies based on the amount of time it is brewed, the size of the serving and the method used to prepare it, an equal quantity of tea can easily contain twice as much caffeine.
According to scientists, the caffeine content deemed safe for human consumption is 400 mg per day. The typical amount of caffeine in an 8-ounce cup (240 ml) of ground coffee is 95 mg versus 44 mg in the same amount of black tea. Although researchers have mostly studied the good impacts of caffeine, both drinks — despite varying molecule levels — can give their related health advantages.
Caffeine consumption may lower the chance of developing some chronic conditions while improving physical performance, temperament, and mental acuity. Caffeine is a potent accelerator for the central nervous system; that’s why it’s used as a performance enhancer in athletics. Caffeine consumption enhanced endurance training results by 12percent when contrasted to a placebo.
Rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants protect your body from damage caused by free radicals, which might also assist in avoiding the onset of chronic illnesses. Tea and coffee are high in antioxidants, particularly polyphenols that add to their distinct flavors and medical benefits. Tea and coffee contain a wide range of polyphenols. Black tea contains catechins, thearubigins, and theaflavins, whereas coffee has flavonoids and chlorogenic acid (CGA). In a recent test-tube investigation, theaflavins and thearubigins were found to prevent the development of pulmonary and colorectal cancer cells, eventually killing them.
Similar results were found in leukemia cells, implying that black tea might well have cancer-preventive qualities; however, more research is required. Test-tube studies on coffee’s anticancer qualities, on the other hand, have discovered that its CGA content is a powerful inhibitor of cancer cell proliferation, guarding against intestinal and pancreatic cancer. Long-term clinical studies and independent research analyzing greater bodies of data suggest that coffee and tea could also protect against malignancies such as breast, colorectal, kidney, and rectum. Polyphenols have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and their antioxidant properties.
Coffee and tea can offer you a burst of energy in different ways.
Caffeine raises dopamine levels and blocks adenosine, improving alertness and lowering weariness. The chemical messenger dopamine is responsible for the jittery impact of coffee, which is caused by an increase in heart rate. It also alters your brain’s reward system, making coffee even more addicting. Anandamide, on the other hand, has a sedative effect. As a result, caffeine lessens your sleepiness by preventing it.
Furthermore, coffee has an almost instantaneous influence on your energy state. After 45 minutes of consumption, your body absorbs 99 per cent of the caffeine, yet optimum blood levels can reach as soon as 15 minutes later. That’s why, whenever people require an instant energy boost, most individuals enjoy a cup of coffee.
The energizing properties of tea
Tea contains less caffeine than coffee, but it is high in L-theanine, a strong antioxidant that enhances the brain. L-theanine, unlike caffeine, might well have anti-stress properties by enhancing alpha waves in mind, which keep you calm and quiet down. This counterbalances caffeine’s stimulating effect and leaves you feeling calm but aware without being tired. L-theanine, when combined with caffeine — as in tea — has been shown in research to make you retain awareness, concentration, focus, and sharpness. This mixture could explain why tea provides a calming and smoother energy boost than coffee.
Weight loss benefits
Coffee might help you lose weight due to its high caffeine content. Caffeine has been shown to boost calorie expenditure by 3–13 per cent and sustain this impact for three hours after consumption, resulting in an additional 79–150 calorie expenditure. Coffee has also been linked to morbidly obese qualities due to its ability to prevent fat cell formation. This impact has been ascribed to its chlorogenic acid concentration.
On the other hand, tea polyphenols like theaflavin appear to aid weight loss. Pancreatic lipase, an enzyme involved in lipid burning, is said to be inhibited by theaflavins. Tea polyphenols were found to lower serum cholesterol and decrease excess weight in mice, even though the animals were fed high-fat meals. Black tea polyphenols also appear to change the variety of human intestinal microbiota, or good bacteria in the human colon, which could have an effect on weight loss. Tea polyphenols have been shown to decrease weight and fat growth by altering the intestinal microbiome.
Digestion
Caffeine causes your intestines to stretch, which is why coffee makes you defecate. Coffee and tea, especially when consumed on an empty belly, can trigger the release of acid in your stomach. This can induce gastrointestinal discomfort but can also help you defecate by stimulating your metabolism. Whether you have these sensations on an empty belly, observe if they change once you eat anything. If your symptoms persist despite eating, consider switching to a lesser coffee or tea product or switching to decaf to see if it helps.
Consider adding a teaspoon of ginger, garlic, or cinnamon to your coffee or tea to improve the digestive medical benefits (gastroenterologists encourage it)!
Social benefits
Coffee and tea both have essential societal roles to play. Relatives and friends have gathered around the two drinks for centuries to debate everything from political tactics to the juicy details. The drinks are still a fixture of group discussions today; however, they are now divided by purpose. For instance, tea is a relaxing beverage, so people frequently use it to relax after a busy day. Coffee, on the other hand, has become synonymous with the workplace. Work colleagues typically congregate around the coffee pot to unwind from their responsibilities and refuel for the remainder of the day.
Oral health
Since tea provides fluoride, it has been suggested that it could help prevent cavities; nevertheless, coffee stains teeth less than dark teas.
The bottom line
Both coffee and tea are generally safe to consume and may provide health advantages. Although tea has greater health benefits than coffee, you should limit your caffeine intake with either. Your preferred beverage may be determined by your personal preferences as well as your cultural background.
Through numerous metabolic mechanisms, coffee and black tea may promote weight loss and protect against some chronic illnesses. Additionally, coffee’s high caffeine concentration may provide an immediate energy boost, whereas black tea’s mix of caffeine and L-theanine provides a more steady gain in energy. In balance, both beverages are healthful and harmless, which may come down to personal choice or caffeine responsiveness.
The truth is, neither coffee nor tea is “healthier” than the other overall. It all depends on what you drink and how much. The nutritional elements of these two beverages can be enjoyed in moderation, but the unhealthy aspects should be avoided. Coffee and tea are some of the most popular beverages in the world. People drink them for their caffeine content, just as much as they taste.
The truth is, neither coffee nor tea is “healthier” than the other overall. Both are rich sources of antioxidants and other nutrients. And both have been shown to have health benefits.
Indeed, coffee is one of the most complex beverages in the world, with over 1,000 compounds identified so far. In fact, coffee is one of the most researched foods on the planet, with a vast collection of research dedicated to it (1). Milk has about 300 compounds (2), and wine has 400-500 compounds (3). Tea, on the other hand, has very few. This is because tea leaves are less processed than coffee beans, which are roasted after picking.
