TEA VS COFFEE

For many of us, starting the day with coffee or tea is an essential morning ritual. These drinks, after all, are some of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. Even the act of sipping each brew offers its own unique experience. With so much passion on both sides of the aisle, it’s hard to tell what beverage is better for you. Here, we’ll compare the two drinks and give you the information you need to make a decision.

 

–       History 

The story of tea begins in China. As one of the legends states almost 5000 years ago, in 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water when some leaves from the tree blew into the water. Shen Nung was immediately interested in the pleasant scent of the resulting brew and decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created. The tree was a Camellia sinensis, and the resulting drink was what we now call tea. In 1517, the Portuguese trade ships first docked in Guangdong, China. And it arranged the very first shipment of tea to Europe in 1610. Now tea has spread worldwide and is consumed in almost every country.

Meanwhile, coffee was being grown in Arabia by the 15th century. It became popular in the 17th  century because European travellers, traders and colonists brought it to new lands, and coffee trees were planted worldwide. 

 

–       Preparation 

After water, tea is the most popular drink in the world. It comes from the young shoots of the Camellia sinensis, which are picked and processed directly by roasting, rolling and then drying. Even though green, white, black, and oolong tea come from the same plant, the young leaves of Camellia sinensis each differ in characteristics and traits because the leaves are processed differently. 

Coffee is also a popular drink. After picking, the coffee bean is removed from its cherry, the coffee beans are roasted, grounded and then brewed with hot water

 

–       Caffeine

The amount of caffeine in tea or coffee can vary significantly depending on the drink’s origin, type, and preparation. Research published in 2021 showed that among all the beverages, instant coffee (34.8 mg/g) and black tea (26.8 mg/g) has the highest caffeine content. The caffeine content in black tea is reported to be similar to that of decaffeinated coffee. It has been recommended as an adequate substitute for coffee in patients with limited caffeine intake. The caffeine in tea is said to increase concentration and enhance the sense of taste and smell. The effect of caffeine in tea usually takes longer to enter the bloodstream than in coffee; therefore, it seems gentler to the system.

Drinking too much coffee daily is considered caffeine intoxication and sometimes arouses feelings of anxiety known as “coffee jitters“. The jitters refer to a physical sensation of feeling a rush and then a sudden energy crash. This sensation can make many people feel unsettled or make it hard to concentrate. They can look like shaking and nervous energy. So, wide varieties of decaffeinated coffees are available on the market today. Studies have shown that middle-aged women who Drank 1–2 cups of coffee or >1 cup of tea per day were associated with 17% and 13–26% reduced fatigue and increased energy levels.

 

–    Health benefits 

• Weight management 

 Tea contains natural antioxidants such as Catechins, Flavonoids, Polysaccharides, Caffeine and Amino Acids, which positively affect our body. Suppose you would like to lose weight and have trouble sleeping; you can try some Green Tea. According to Basu et al. 2010, consuming 4 cups/day of green tea beverage for 8 weeks can reduce weight ± 3 kg, and theanine in green tea can help you sleep better.

Coffee has also received attention in the last decade regarding its effect on energy intake and body weight control. According to research, 81-400 mg of coffee consumption between 4-12 weeks can reduce body weight ranging from approximately 1 to 8 kg due to the ability of coffee to affect appetite hormones and glucose metabolism 

• Prevent dementia 

Dementia is a paramount public health concern, with around 55 million cases worldwide and more than 10 million new cases yearly. The development of dementia is associated with genetic and environmental factors. Diet is a potentially modifiable lifestyle factor for preventing dementia among the environmental factors.

Some studies in healthy aging showed that tea and coffee were protective against dementia. Within 3 cups/day, drinking tea brought a 6% reduction in incidence. Coffee drinking 3-5 cups per day at midlife decreased the risk of dementia/AD by about 65% at late.

 

– Side effects.

There’s no denying the fact that coffee and tea happen to be one of the world’s most consumed beverages. They contain many antioxidants and are loaded with umpteen health benefits. Still, excessive caffeine intake would be associated with a sleep disorder, stress, anxiety and low nutrient absorption.

• Low nutrient absorption

 Increased intake of caffeine can actually hamper your digestion and reduce the absorption of nutrition. Caffeine can negatively affect our health if it is not consumed in moderation. Caffeine can reduce nutrient absorption of essential minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Also, tea has a component called tannin which can inhibit iron found in plant food, such as leafy green vegetables and nuts, this potentially causing an iron deficiency.

• Sleep disorder 

The presence of caffeine in tea and coffee can simply take a toll on your sleep cycle. A study showed that 400 mg of caffeine taken 0, 3, or even 6 hours before bedtime can reduce sleep by more than 1 hour. Caffeine can suppress the production of melatonin, a vital hormone in regulating human sleep.