Should you start your morning with tea or coffee? That’s the real debate, right? Depending on who you ask you could get an entirely different answer with a set of pretty valid reasons. I’m sure you know someone who runs on coffee and couldn’t function without it, as well as someone who is an avid tea lover and swears by it. But who is right? Is tea or coffee better?
What does the science say?
There is no shortage of research on the subject. With a quick google search you can easily be bombarded with studies on the effects of caffeine concentration, mood and memory effects, and even mortality rates for both coffee and tea. It’s not hard to find all the facts you need to make an informed decision.
To save you the hassle and the time, I’ve summarized the key points on what you need to know before you decide on your morning go-to beverage.
Caffeine Content:
Caffeine is the most studied stimulant in the world. And to no surprise, it is found in both coffee and tea. That’s what wakes all of us sleep-deprived students up in the morning and keeps us going late at night when we cram before tests.
Caffeine is known for both its health benefits and its adverse effects. 400 mg of caffeine is considered to be the safe daily limit of caffeine consumption. Your average cup of coffee contains around 95 mg of coffee, and your average cup of tea contains 47 mg of caffeine. So this means coffee has essentially double the caffeine. But is this good or bad?
Here are the benefits of caffeine:
– Powerful stimulant for your central nervous system, which can improve mental performance and athletic ability.
– May reduce risk of type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity.
– Improves memory and information processing.
Here are the cons:
– Over stimulation, restlessness, and nervousness (AKA the jitters).
– Headaches.
– Upset stomach.
– Fast heartbeat and/or muscle tremors.
Like everything, there are pros and cons. Caffeine is both good and bad. So, it’s important to consider this when making your choice between coffee and tea. Do you need all that extra caffeine in coffee?
For this one, I’m going to have to side with tea. Research shows you can achieve a similar stimulating effect from drinking tea, even though it has half of the caffeine content. And since you’re only consuming half of the caffeine, you’re less likely to experience the negative effects of it.
Tea: 1 Coffee: 0
Teeth staining:
It’s no secret that both of these drinks have a notorious reputation of staining your teeth. However, research shows that tea is more likely to stain your teeth. This is because even though coffee appears darker than tea, tea contains more tannins than coffee. Tannin is an organic compound responsible for giving the tea its colour. The darker the tea, the more tannins it contains. It’s important to note that tannins have some negative health side effects. They can increase your risk of liver disease and blood clots, especially if you have familial or personal history with these health problems. So, in terms of teeth staining, coffee is the clear winner!
Tea: 1 Coffee: 1
Best for… longer life? (No, I’m not kidding):
A study on coffee from the National Institute of Health, published in 2012, reported that, compared with men who didn’t consume any coffee whatsoever, men who drank six or more cups per day had a 10% lower risk of death, and women who consumed 6 or more cups had a 15% lower risk of death. Amazing, right?
Similar studies have also been conducted with tea. An Australian study published in 2015 showed that women 70 to 80 years-old lived longer if they drank an average of two cups of tea a day. They were 40% more likely to live a longer life. This was due to a compound found in tea that can alter genes.
Both of these beverages appear to contain some magical compound that’s the secret to a longer life. And quite honestly, it’s impossible to choose which one will be better at prolonging your life. So, I’m calling this one a tie.
Tea: 2 Coffee: 2
In conclusion, there’s a lot of information, both good and bad, for coffee and tea. It’s definitely a personal choice as to which one you prefer to drink. There’s no right or wrong answer. So, at the end of the day, if you like coffee, drink coffee. If you like tea, drink tea. Or if you’re like me, drink both.