We compare tea and coffee | Benefits and harms

The debate over whether tea or coffee is better has probably been going on ever since these drinks first appeared. And supporters and opponents of each use a variety of arguments in their “battles” – from differences in taste to attempts to figure out which is healthier or more harmful.

This is not surprising at all. Tea and coffee are very popular drinks, available at any time of the year and much easier to prepare than some morsels or kvass. And they have similar effects. Both tea and coffee have a restorative effect, for example.

Let’s try to put a period in this material and understand what is better to drink – tea or coffee, and what are the benefits and harms of drinks.

Tea

Tea is one of the most popular drinks, especially in “our latitudes. According to historical data, it first tasted in Russia in the XVII century, and brought his Chinese ambassador. A century and a half has passed, and not only nobility, but also ordinary people started to indulge in tea, brewing it in classic samovars.

So, tea is practically an “indigenous Russian” drink, which over the past three centuries has become an indispensable element of daily cuisine.

Nevertheless, its beneficial and harmful properties are not known to everyone. But tea is a rather complex chemical substance, which has a complex effect on the body. And the effect is not limited to simply increasing physical and vitality.

Two substances, caffeine and thianine, are responsible for the psycho-stimulating and stimulating effect of tea. They both help to wake up, perk up and boost mood, as well as increase mental performance and stamina. Tianin also has a relaxing effect, which means it helps relieve stress and tension, while improving cognitive qualities.

It is worth noting that there is more thianine in green tea than in black tea. This is why it has a pronounced and noticeable relaxing effect.

Black tea differs from green tea only in the way and method of fermentation. The plant is the same, but the processing changes the chemical composition. That’s why black tea contains less thianine, green tea – caffeine and thianine in almost natural proportions, and some Puer – a lot of tannins, thianine and a minimum of caffeine.

But its invigorating effect is not limited to the following. Other beneficial qualities include improved digestion, cardiovascular health, antiseptic and antiviral properties. Thus, tea has a positive effect on the body. But when consumed adequately.

Tea also has detrimental effects. Firstly, it darkens and partially destroys the enamel on the teeth. Secondly, it is not recommended for afternoon and evening use because of its tannin content, which is particularly high in puerh and black tea. It can also lead to sleep disturbances and the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Tea contains quite a lot of fluoride. although useful in small doses, in larger amounts it leads to malfunctioning of the thyroid gland, negatively affects the bone and kidneys.

In general, tea is characterized as follows:

1. It has a mild tonic effect due to the content of caffeine, tianin and tannins;

2. In green tea all these substances are in a near-natural balance. There’s less thianine in black. Puerh is very high in tannins;

3. Tianin not only tones you up, but also has excellent psycho-stimulating and relaxing effects. It helps relieve stress, tension, relaxation, and mood;

4. The beneficial effects of tea extend to the circulatory, cardiovascular and digestive systems. It also has antiseptic and antiviral effects;

5. The harmful effect of tea affects the condition of the enamel on the teeth. Also, if consumed in excess, it impairs the functioning of the thyroid gland, bone and kidney health;

6. Drinking tea after dinner or in the evening is definitely not recommended. Can cause sleep disorders and lead to rheumatoid arthritis.

It’s worth mentioning that the tonic effect of tea is slow and mild. The effect of drinking a cup of coffee is not immediate, but takes three to six hours after consumption. This is important to consider because many people, wishing to maximize their vigor, brew their tea too strong and drink several cups in a row. And after a few hours “get” the overstimulation of the nervous system, when it is no longer needed.

Advantages of

• Mild tonic, psychostimulant, relaxing effect. It helps not only to cheer up, but also to get rid of stress, tension and compulsions;

• Positive effect on the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Has antiviral and antiseptic effects, and also helps with poisoning and intoxication;

• The variety of teas helps to choose the appropriate beverage and the desired effect depending on the situation.

Disadvantages

• Its tonic effect is mild and “slow”. It takes several hours after drinking the beverage;

• Contains quite a bit of fluoride, which, when consumed in excess, is detrimental to dental, thyroid, bone, and kidney health;

• Green tea is considered healthier than black tea. But the difference between the two is in two aspects.

First, green tea has a natural balance between thianine and caffeine. Therefore it both tones the body and protects the nervous system and the psyche from the effects of excitement (stress, tension, compulsions and depressions).

Second, green tea also contains vitamin C. It additionally revitalizes the body, has a mild tonic effect and significantly strengthens the immune system. Black tea has vitamin C, it is destroyed by fermentation.

But this does not mean that green tea is a treasure trove of vitamins. The fact that vitamin C is destroyed by heat. For its complete “destruction” it is necessary to boil it for 2-3 minutes. Tea, on the other hand, is not boiled but brewed with hot water at about 90-95 degrees. Therefore, already 15-20 minutes after brewing vitamin C is destroyed.

Thus, green tea should be drunk immediately after brewing.

Coffee

Coffee is the most popular of the invigorating and restorative beverages. It contains caffeine – a powerful psychostimulant that almost instantly “wakes up” and energizes. Coffee begins to “work” within minutes after drinking it, but its tonic effect also disappears quickly.

In particular, most people get a restorative effect from a cup of coffee within 20 minutes after drinking it. And it ends in about 2-3 hours. This is why many people drink one cup after another in an effort to maintain their energy level throughout the day. But it’s quite dangerous. However, about this – further on.

First of all we have to talk about the benefits of coffee. In addition to its powerful psychostimulatory effect, this drink boasts a large number of antioxidants. These substances slow down the aging of cells and tissues in the body, have a rejuvenating effect and are used for the prevention of cancer.

Coffee also increases blood pressure. On the one hand, it is very useful for hypotensive people – it allows both to cheer up and to improve the well-being. On the other hand, it is contraindicated in hypertensive people. It is not allowed to increase the blood pressure additionally.

And finally, coffee improves digestion. It stimulates the production of gastric juice, which is especially useful for indigestion or similar problems. But it is not advisable to drink coffee on an empty stomach, especially if you are at risk of ulcers.

But it’s just as bad as it’s good. First, caffeine is addictive. It manifests itself both in tolerance – more and more espresso is needed to cheer up – and in dependence. Without coffee it can be difficult to “wake up”. And the use of caffeine in excessive doses can lead to negative mental phenomena, among which are stress, anxiety, headaches, nervousness and even depressed states.

Coffee, unlike most soft drinks, has strict contraindications to use. Among these are hypertension and ulcers, as well as the tendency to.

In general, coffee is characterized as follows:

1. Fast tonic effect, which is also short-term – it comes in 20 minutes and disappears in 2-3 hours. It is achieved by including a large amount of caffeine in the drink;

2. Grain and instant (freeze-dried) coffee contain about the same amount of caffeine. So there is no chemical difference between the two beverages. But it is better not to drink decaffeinated coffee, because it is subjected to special treatment, which greatly alters its composition;

3. Caffeine has an extremely psychostimulant effect. There are no substances in coffee that can help avoid the negative side effects of agitation – or even overstimulation – of the nervous system;

4. The beneficial effects of coffee extend to the cardiovascular and digestive systems, but only in cases where their natural function is reduced;

5. The harmful effects of coffee also affect the cardiovascular and digestive system in hyperfunction or in the presence of certain diseases. Also this drink is addictive and in case of excessive consumption can cause overexcitation of the nervous system with all the “consequences;

6. and even in the evening it is possible to drink coffee after lunch or even in the evening. The tonic effect is gone by the time you fall asleep. But it is worth taking into account your own metabolism – for some people caffeine breaks down in the body very slowly and keeps them awake for 5-6 hours after drinking it.

The most unpleasant and negative effect of coffee is the emergence of addiction. It is similar to narcotic, tobacco or alcohol, but appears more easily and with a weak withdrawal syndrome. However with addiction to cheerfulness, one has to drink significantly more coffee than usual, and “to wake up” without it is no longer possible. And the mental effects like stress, nervousness, and headaches won’t be long in coming.

Decaffeinated versions of the beverage are a treatment option for coffee addiction. However, it is worth remembering that the beans for their preparation undergo special chemical processing, so their composition changes significantly.

So, to summarize.

Advantages

• Fast and noticeable tonic effect. Caffeine also has a psychostimulant effect – it improves cognitive function, increases endurance and reduces fatigue;

• Helps to improve digestion and normalize blood pressure in hypotension;

• Contains antioxidants that have rejuvenating effects and can be used in cancer prevention.

Drawbacks

• The tonic effect of caffeine ends after 1-2 hours, depending on individual body traits;

• Contraindicated for hypertension and ulcers – or a tendency to them;

• Addictive.

All these disadvantages apply not only to grain coffee, but also to instant (freeze-dried) coffee. The chemical composition of the two beverages is similar, so the positive and negative effects are also similar. The difference in concentration, also called “strength”.

What’s better to drink: tea or coffee? Comparison

In the comparison of beneficial and harmful qualities of tea, of course, wins. But everything is good in moderation. If you drink too much, it can be quite harmful.

Thus, in terms of benefits winning tea. Moreover, the green. But it is definitely not worth abusing it – it also has a harmful effect. It is recommended to drink the tea in the first half of the day, to avoid a tonic before going to bed.

It is also not necessary to give up coffee. Occasional infrequent consumption is a sensible solution.

In general, the best solution is to observe the variety of. It is worth drinking green tea, black tea, coffee, compotes, morses and other drinks. Then the body will get all the necessary useful substances in equal proportions, and the harmful effects will be minimized. Although, of course, coffee should be avoided if there are contraindications.