Coffee Vs. Tea - Which is Better for You?

Many people enjoy a nice cup of Coffee in the morning to jumpstart their day. Many others like to sit down to a nice relaxing cup of tea. We have all heard that coffee is bad for us and we should start drinking tea instead. There have been plenty of questions wondering which is indeed better between the two popular hot drinks, and why. So which is it, Coffee or Tea? Well let's start by reviewing some of the known facts.

Tea:

Relaxes the arteries and lowers blood pressure

Suppresses the appetite

Antioxidants reduces the risk of cancer

Antibacterial properties help prevent tooth decay and help fight against food poisoning

Green Tea may prevent against Alzheimer's disease and Kidney stones

Green Tea helps keep bones strong

Coffee:

Associated with high cholesterol

Suppresses the appetite

Linked to osteoporosis

Drinking more than 4 cups a day lowers the risk of diabetes

Protects against Parkinson's disease

Linked to lower instances of liver and colon cancer

Prevents against gallstones

Antibacterial properties that prevent tooth decay and help fight against food poisoningSo, let's review some additional information now that we've seen some of the facts. Tea is best in white or green form. This is where you will get most of the health benefits associated with tea. Black Tea is just ahead of Coffee in terms of health benefits. It has been documented that the process of fermentation, which occurs in Black Tea reduces some of the antioxidants. Some products add in alot of sugar which diminishes any health benefits, and which means this is something you need to watch for when purchasing any tea products.

Tea and Coffee have both been linked to beneficial outcomes related to your health. We are no longer living in world that believes coffee is nothing but unhealthy for you. However, the jury is still out on what the recommended amounts are per day. Some people have suggested no more than four cups of coffee a day and no more than six cups of tea a day, but there is no solid evidence on this. What is important to consider though is each individual person. Everyone is different and is affected by caffeine and other ingredients in different ways. This means that it is important for you to understand your body and what your limit is.

The most important point to look at here is that both Tea and Coffee can have healthy benefits for you. Tea will have more health benefits when consumed in White or Green form, but drinking coffee is no longer as bad as was once assumed. So enjoy that cup of coffee if you want, just do it in moderation.

References:

http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20051228-000002.html

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Diet/story?id=2123324