Do you prefer coffee or tea? What are the most touted health benefits associated with coffee versus tea? This post explores the science and the whimsy of our most addictive habit. It concludes with recommendations for coffee and tea consumption, and guides you in choosing the right tea or coffee blend for your personal and optimized health.

Americans often get into a rut with their beverage choices. Perhaps if we drank a wider variety of beverages including juices, mineral and spring water, and some mix of both coffee and tea we could obtain a better nutritional and anti-oxidant profile and protect ourselves better. But for now, let’s explore coffee and tea and how they measure up for health.

Both Coffee & Tea Have Health Benefits, Up To A Point

Weight Loss. Coffee stimulates the secretion of stomach acid which assists digestion, plus a cup of coffee after a heavy meal can help stimulate fat burning. White, green and black tea contain enzymes that promote digestion and protect against harmful bacteria. So both work well to support weight loss, just in different ways.

Mental alertness. Both coffee and caffeinated teas stimulate the release of serotonin, a brain chemical that increases alertness and assists in completing intellectual tasks. However, too much caffeine actually has the opposite effect because it exhausts the adrenal glands resulting in a negative effect on memory and concentration. Overstimulation of the adrenal glands also lessens the ability to respond to stress.

Cardiovascular and Nervous System Toning. Caffeine in coffee has antioxidant phenols that have been researched for their ability to protect against chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. The effect is stronger when coffee drinking is combined with other antioxidants. The caffeine in black and green tea contain flavonoids that protect blood from clotting and ward off heart disease (Nilson, Laurent & Olsen, 2015). Tea drinking may also lower the risk of stroke.

Precautions. Less is more especially when it comes to coffee. Heavy coffee drinking of more than 4 cups a day is shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease as new studies show that too much coffee drinking raises homocysteine levels in the blood, a direct link with heart disease. The particular flavonoid content of tea makes it a better choice for anyone with blood pressure issues or heart disease in general. The acid in coffee eats away the villi of the small intestine, making absorption of nutrients problematic (Pitchford, 2002), therefore steer away from coffee if you have diabetes, intestinal issues or ulcers.

So What’s Better, Coffee or Tea?

Like most things in life, moderation is the golden rule. Used in small quantities, caffeine in both coffee and tea is protective and beneficial. Overuse, however, has quite the opposite effect on the body. And one is reminded that caffeine is a drug. It is highly addictive and just like any drug it is detrimental when overused.

Both coffee and tea confer health benefits. Yet overuse of coffee is much more prevalent in America, and the fact is that brewed coffee contains twice as much caffeine as steeped tea (100 mg in a cup of coffee vs. 20-30 mg. in tea) indicates that we as a nation are wired on caffeine. Excessive coffee drinking is not good for the body. It depletes calcium that may increase risk of osteoporosis (Page, 2004), disrupts brain wave patterns interfering with sleep (Page, 2004), and exhausts the adrenal glands making one more vulnerable to stress and potential hormonal imbalance (Page, 2002).

In America tea drinking is kind of like the unexplored frontier of beverage imbibing. We like our coffee and high energy drinks. Teas do contain some caffeine so you still get a boost, just not the jolt from coffee. Plus tea contains theanine, an amino acid that relaxes and calms the mind, improves concentration and enhances brain activity, without the jitteriness.

Switching from coffee to tea is like switching from jet fuel to an alternative energy source, much like switching from diesel to electric power. But it is also possible to strike a balance and consume both coffee and tea. Just remember to keep caffeine consumption to under 300 mg/day (3 cups coffee vs. 6 cups of tea, on average). More than 300 mg of caffeine is bordering the hazard zone for detrimental effects.

Minimize Coffee, Maximize Tea

How can one enjoy the benefits of coffee and tea without overdoing it? Here are some ideas that might help:

• If the stim of coffee is an absolute necessity for you, you might like to switch to a brand of organic, shade-grown coffee as a healthier alternative. Commercially grown coffee is ridden with pesticides and herbicides linked to cancer. And shade-grown coffee is grown in areas of high population of migratory birds versus commercial coffee that is grown in unshaded areas which limits the bird population. Thanksgiving Coffee Company sells only shade-grown coffee, and has been in operation for over four decades. Plus they contribute some of their profits to the American Bird Association, the American Wild Horse Association and other charities.
• Nix coffee drinking after the morning and switch to a non-caffeinated beverage in the afternoon and evening. Herbal teas do taste good. Try several different ones to find a favorite. The short list below has a few recommended herbal teas and corresponding health benefits.
• Use whole leaf teas and create your own blend that tastes good and makes you feel good too! Whole leaf teas are significantly higher in flavonoids than bagged tea. But if you don’t have the time or inclination to brew tea, don’t let that stop you from enjoying a nice cuppa.

Choose Your Best Tea

What are some of the best teas? If you are looking for a caffeine boost, both green and black tea offer natural forms of caffeine, much lower than coffee. All tea comes from one and the same plant camellia sinensis, and it is the processing of tea that alters its outward color, as well as its chemistry and properties.

Herbal teas are technically not really teas, but infusions of herbs and so you may need to check on the amount of time needed to infuse your herb of choice, which can be a bit longer than regular tea. For example, hawthorn whole leaf may take 5-10 minutes to steep, and some sources suggest that it is best infused overnight or for up to 10 hours to attain the full health benefits. This is in line with how Chinese herbal decoctions are prepared, as these are often whole herbs which can be quite tough and must be soaked before boiling and simmering.

You can create a unique, medicinal tea blend by mixing herbal teas with regular tea. In TCM, mixing green tea with peppermint is good for migraine prevention.

It is easy to find blends of teas and herbs online by reputable sellers. Or try purchasing 2-3 teas and/or herbs and blending them until you find the “sweet spot” in terms of taste, health benefits and caffeine (if you want the boost). Some online sellers will offer blends that you can try. In future posts I will feature some recipe blends outlining specific health-giving properties.

Listed below are easy-to-find teas with health benefits highlighted for easy reference. Stock your shelf with a few of these and happy brewing!

• Hawthorne. This herbal tea is very easy to find and widely available, even if you’ve never heard of it. Hawthorne is one of the best teas for cardiovascular health. Mt. Sinai Hospital cites hawthorn in their library of medicines as an herb with hearth health advantages, including lessening the risk for heart disease due to its antioxidant and circulatory actions (Hawthorn, n.d.). In TCM terms it moves blood stasis, therefore, it will help increases blood circulation to the heart. It is a common remedy for easing digestion after a heavy or fatty meal. This herb is best for those with high cholesterol levels because it can reduce atherosclerotic lesion areas (Dehghani, Mehri & Hosseinzadeh, 2019).
• Ginger. Known as a cure for nausea, ginger is also beneficial for lowering inflammation, relaxing anxiety, and reducing a fatty liver. Dried ginger can also help against painful or numb joints. The chemicals in ginger, gingerals, relax intestinal spasms and ease diarrhea.
• Chamomile. A mild tranquilizer, drinking chamomile tea 45 minutes before bedtime can induce sleepiness and more restful sleep. It also is good for “nervous digestion” and helpful when traveling or during a stressful time.
• Orange peel/chen pi. One of the most widely used teas worldwide, dried orange peel greatly eases digestion especially when bloating is a symptom. It is like a bitter, taken to add pungency and ease passageways along entire digestive tract. Good for anyone with IBS or chronic constipation. It is also wonderful for anyone with chronic sinusitis or nasal stuffiness.
• Green tea. As the most studied tea for its numerous health benefits green tea is minimally processed, and contains a unique polyphenal EECG that is 30x more powerful than vitamin E or vitamin C at destroying free radicals. Contains less caffeine than black tea. Green tea is highest in L-theanine, an amino acid found only in mushrooms and tea plants, it stimulates the production of alfa brain waves calming the body while maintaining a level of relaxed awareness (Chatterjee A, Saluja M, Agarwal G, Alam M. 2012).
• White tea. The least processed of any of the tea types, the leaves are simply set out to wither and naturally dry out. Has a mild, sweet taste. White tea contains the lowest amount of caffeine when compared to green and black tea (Raredon, 2020). Considered the best choice for weight loss and improving skin health, it should be included in any skin detox program, such as eczema or acne, as drinking this one consistently may help to return skin to a healthy glow (Page, 2004).
• Black tea. Several stages go into finishing this tea. The leaves are dried and then rolled firmly to release the enzymes within the tea, giving it a more pungent, powerful taste. Contains less theanine than green tea but is higher in theaflavins for improved heart health and for assisting recovery from intensive exercise by reducing oxidative stress (Uspenski, 2016).
• Oolong tea. Oolong tea is processed and fermented to a lesser degree than black tea, and therefore it contains a higher concentration of the theaflavins and lower concentration of thearubigins than black tea. Thearubigins are also flavonoids and, although they have not been studied as extensively as theaflavins, and preliminary research indicates they confer benefits for cardiovascular and gut health.

Where to order tea? I’m pretty new to online ordering of grocery items. Of which tea is one. I’m trying out Adagio teas for the first time, per online forums. Mountain Rose Herbs is another source of tea and herbs, and that one I have used several times. Bagged teas are easy to find in the market, or online, and two reliable brands are Celestial Seasonings and Traditional Medicinals.

REFERENCES

Chatterjee A, Saluja M, Agarwal G. & Alam M. (2012). Green tea: A boon for periodontal and general health. J Indian Soc Periodontology, (2):161-7. doi: 10.4103/0972-124X.99256.

Dehghani S, Mehri S. & Hosseinzadeh H. (2019). The effects of Crataegus pinnatifida (Chinese hawthorn) on metabolic syndrome: A review. Iran J Basic Med Science, 22(5):460-468. doi: 10.22038/IJBMS.2019.31964.7678.

Hawthorn. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/hawthorn#:~:text=Hawthorn%20is%20used%20to%20help,treat%20boils%20and%20skin%20sores.

Nilson, Laurent & Olsen (2015). Early vascular aging: New directions in cardiovascular protection. Elsevier Publishing.

Page, L. (2004). Healthy healing: A guide to self healing for everyone. Healthy Healing Publications.

Pitchford, P. (2002). Healing with whole foods. North Atlantic Books.

Raredon, C.R. (2020). Stuff every tea lover should know. Quirk Books.

Uspenski, M. (2016). Cancer hates tea. Page Street Publishing.