It’s an age-old debate, but is tea actually better for you than coffee? Or does coffee reign supreme as the heathier option? Here, we’ll explore the pros and cons for both, to put this age-old debate to rest once and for all.
Why is tea good for you?
Tea has a long list of health benefits.
- Tea contains rich antioxidants, which are known to fight inflammation. They’re also good for keeping your blood vessels healthy and preventing them from hardening over time1
- Tea contains rich antioxidants, which are known to fight inflammation. They’re also good for keeping your blood vessels healthy and preventing them from hardening over time
- One study showed that adults who drink more than two cups of green tea a day have a lower risk of cognitive brain function impairment than those who drink less than three cups a week.2
- Another study found that drinking lots of green or black tea significantly lowers the risk of strokes.3
Oh, and another thing. One study showed that the cells of regular green tea drinkers have a younger biological age than those who don’t drink it as much.4 So, put down that anti-wrinkle cream and pick up your mug of tea!
Why is tea bad for you?
There are a couple of tea cons you should know about too:
- It can stain your teeth5
- If you’re sensitive to caffeine, avoid caffeinated tea, even though it does contain lower levels than coffee6
- It can impact your iron levels. Tea contains tanins, a powerful antioxidant that can interfere with your body’s iron absorption. One 1982 study found that drinking tea with a meal resulted in a 62% reduction in iron absorption, compared to 35% for coffee.7
Why is coffee good for you?
Onto coffee now, and you’ll be pleased to know that a cup of the good stuff has some interesting benefits:
- Coffee drinkers are less likely to die young. A recent Harvard study found that people who drink three to five cups of coffee a day may be less likely to die prematurely from some diseases than those who drink less8
- Another recent study found that coffee drinkers are less likely to suffer diseases like type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, and some cancers9
Why is coffee bad for you?
Coffee has a few cons too:
- A study has shown that unfiltered coffee is linked to heightened cholesterol10
- Due to its high caffeine content, coffee can raise blood pressure11
- Women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant should be cautious about drinking coffee, or any other high-caffeinated drinks. High levels of caffeine can case a low birthweight or even a miscarriage12
Results
The results are in, and we’ve found that, so long as you live by the mantra ‘everything in moderation’, tea and coffee both have an equal amount of positives and negatives. However, due to its lower caffeine content, we do recommend drinking only tea after lunchtime, so as not to affect your sleeping pattern.
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Last updated: 6 May 2020
Sources
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3401676/
2 https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/83/2/355/4650021
3 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/strokeaha.108.538470
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3401676/
5 https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/foods-stain-teeth-feature#1
6 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372
7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6896705?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
8 https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/moderate-coffee-drinking-may-lower-risk-of-premature-death/
9 https://phys.org/news/2005-08-coffee-source-antioxidants.html
10 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2029499
11 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/coffee-and-health/faq-20058339
12 https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/should-i-limit-caffeine-during-pregnancy/
