When it comes to choosing tea and coffee as favourite beverages, we can see a huge divide amongst the people. Some people prefer tea, but a wide section of people also prefer coffee.

There is clearly no favourite beverage as both tea and coffee have a massive fan following but today, we have decided to help you out in choosing the beverage of your choice on the basis of their nutritional content and the benefit to their health.

There have been countless arguments in deciding which of the two is superior. So here, for once and for all, let’s find out who is the winner in the battle of tea vs coffee so that before you consume it, you should know what your beverage contains.

Nutritional Breakdown of Tea VS  Coffee

1. Rich In antioxidants

Tea and coffee both contain antioxidants in them mainly polyphenols. This antioxidant is the main reason behind its flavour and health-beneficial properties. Antioxidants are the compound found naturally or synthetically in the food that inhibits oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals and chain reactions that may damage the cells of organisms

Tea contains theaflavins, thearubigins, and catechins as antioxidants while coffee is rich in flavonoids and chlorogenic acid (CGA)

Tea has been widely associated with lower risks of cancer and heart disease. The theaflavins and thearubigins, found in black tea inhibited the growth of lung and colon cancer cells and ultimately killed them while green tea is rich in catechin which is closely associated with supporting cognitive health. 

In the race of antioxidants, coffee isn’t far behind. Coffee has been linked to reduced incidence of Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. Coffee is specifically rich in the antioxidants hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols. These antioxidants are incredibly efficient at neutralizing free radicals. This aids in combating infection in the body by preventing any oxidative stress. 

2. Caffeine Content

The biggest question around the tea vs coffee debate like around the caffeine content. Caffeine works as a powerful stimulant for the central nervous system (CNS). It works on a chemical level to block adenosine – a neurotransmitter that triggers relaxation. It helps us stay focused and alert. The caffeine content in any beverage varies depending on the ingredients and how the drink is prepared.

Both tea and coffee are rich in caffeine but the caffeine content in coffee is higher than in tea. This is because of the fact that coffee is brewed at significantly higher temperatures which allows more of the caffeine molecules to release from the beans while tea is brewed at lower temperatures where all of the caffeine isn’t extracted from the leaves. 

While caffeine is considered safe, drinking too much may raise some concerns.

3. May Increase Energy Levels

Both the beverages, tea and coffee are known to elevate energy levels however both work differently here.

In the case of coffee, caffeine is the primary thing which is known to increase the energy levels in people. It increases dopamine levels and decreases adenosine. Dopamine is the chemical messenger which increases the heart rate and is responsible for the jittery effect of coffee. On the other hand, adenosine has a sleep-promoting effect. Thus, by blocking it, caffeine reduces your feelings of tiredness.

According to the studies, coffee once consumed absorbs 99% of its caffeine in the first 40 minutes which is why it is known for its instant kick of energy boost.

On the other hand, tea has a different way of working. The boost of energy after drinking tea comes from L-theanine unlike caffeine present in coffee. L-theanine may provide anti-stress effects by increasing the brain’s alpha waves. This helps your brain in calming down and relaxing. This gives you a relaxed but alert mental state without feeling drowsy. Although the absorption of tea takes time and the process of releasing energy is slower, the side effects of consuming tea are lower than that of coffee.

4. Potential Weight Loss

We have pretty much established the fact that coffee is a rich source of caffeine. This caffeine present in coffee may help you in weight loss. Coffee has also been associated with fat-burning properties by inhibiting the production of fat cells. As per some studies, this may be due to its chlorogenic acid content.

Tea on the other hand helps in weight loss due to the presence of theaflavin in it. Theaflavins reportedly in a study inhibit pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that plays a key role in fat metabolism. Black tea polyphenols also seem to alter the diversity of your gut microbiota, or healthy bacteria in your intestines, which may impact weight management. 

5. Oral Health

Coffee if consumed in excessive quantity could potentially stain your teeth while tea helps prevents cavities because it contains fluoride.

Downsides Of Tea And Coffee

1. Excessive Sugar And Additives

Even though tea and coffee do not contain sugar in them but sugar or additives can be added while preparing the drink. Too much consumption could lead to excessive consumption of sugar in a day.

Related Read: Agave Nectar- Is It Really A Healthier Alternative?

2. Can Be Addicting

The presence of caffeine in tea and coffee is the main culprit behind making these beverages addicting. It’s quite common to notice addiction in people who drink tea excessively as they require a boost of it every now and then.

3. Can Disrupt Sleep

Many times people take a shot of coffee to stay awake purposely/ Whether students or working professionals, to increase their efficiency and stay up longer consumption of caffeine is noted. This could disrupt the sleep patterns of the individual. Also, it is noted that it could affect the quality of sleep.

4. Can Cause Anxiety

Tea and Coffee have the tendency to increase anxiety levels. As per studies, consuming too much caffeine can lead to jitteriness, anxiety and increased heart rate.

The Winner

Even though there is no clear winner of this battle however consuming tea specifically black tea and green tea are observed to have more benefits than coffee. 

Our Final Verdict

Choosing the beverage is as much a personal choice. They even give each other a tough battle in terms of nutrition and health however, choosing the beverage your body is able to withstand is also important. Moderation is key to avoiding their side effects as well as the addiction.

Therefore, understand your body and its need and choose your beverage of choice wisely.

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