Monday, April 27, 2009

Tea or Coffee?

Are you a tea or coffee drinker? I'm both. I drink coffee every morning and tea in the afternoon and before I go to sleep. I drink latte-coffee with milk and sometimes capucinno, but my favourite is a cup of hot hazelnut latte. I loooooove it, as long as it's not too sweet. And as for tea, I drink black and green tea. Depends on my mood but I usually drink green tea at night just to ease my mind and go to bed with a relaxing mind. I often read that both tea and coffee has its own benefits for our health. Which one is better? To be honest, this battle between coffee and tea is like a never ending story. Some researchers say tea has better antioxidant while the others say coffee has the better one. I guess I'm now at the point where both is good for health as long as we don't overly drink it and not to forget to skip the sugar please. Or at least try to minimize the use of the sugar. Just like what I always said and think that everything will be good for us as long as it's not too much. Too much of something can sometimes be bad for us. So,which one do you prefer? I leave it all up to you but just to give you a brief idea, here are 10 points about the good and bad of tea and coffee from http://matadorlife.com.
Tea v. Coffee: Which One is Better for You?

1. Tea’s rich in antioxidants.

Teas contain high levels of polyphenols, which function as powerful antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals. Heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are all contributed to by the damage done by free radicals. Antioxidants aid in preventing and repairing such damage.
2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee.
High amounts of caffeine can raise blood pressure and health professionals generally recommend a maximum daily coffee consumption of four 8-oz cups. Tea, on the other hand, contains much less caffeine than coffee, allowing tea aficionados to enjoy more of the healthful brewed concoction each day.
3. Tea fights cancer.
A number of scientific studies have found that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. Because tea is high in antioxidants, drinking it regularly can help ward off cancer.
4. Tea fights heart disease.
Tea protects the heart by relaxing blood vessels, inhibiting clots, and reducing cholesterol levels. Its high antioxidant levels also help ensure your heart’s health.
5. Tea wards off osteoporosis.
Coffee’s high caffeine content can contribute to osteoporosis, but green and black teas can help maintain bone health. Studies have found that people who drink tea five times a week have significantly better bone health than those who rarely drink tea.
6. Tea kick starts metabolism.
Coffee is an effective method of suppressing your appetite, but tea will actually give your metabolism the kick it needs to burn calories and fat. For those looking to lose weight, tea is better and more helpful in the long run.
7. Not addictive
Coffee lovers know this to be true. The high amounts of caffeine in that delicious morning cup make it hard, sometimes impossible, to resist. Tea, however, contains significantly less amounts of caffeine which frees your wallet from the puppet strings of your local cafe! Add the health benefits of drinking tea helping you avoid future medical bills and you’ve got a drink that protects your body as well as your bank account. Betcha didn’t see that one coming.
8. Tea reduces high blood pressure.
Caffeine can cause a temporary spike in blood pressure, which is bad news for those who have already been diagnosed with hypertension. Because tea helps relax blood vessels, it can actually reduce your blood pressure. That’s good news, no?
9. Tea prevents tooth decay.
Coffee can contribute to brittle teeth, whereas tea helps inhibit the bacteria that lead to cavities. Fewer cavities mean a more brilliant smile to catch that neighborhood cutie’s eye. Who knew drinking tea could improve your love life?
10. Tea treats inflammation.
Studies have found the catechins in tea help reduce bladder and skin inflammations. This is good news for your body, inside and out!
Though tea surpasses coffee in terms of health benefits by leaps and bounds, coffee does present its own merits for the human body. For example, caffeine can help alleviate asthma and enhance the pain-relieving effects of aspirin. Unfortunately in the long run, the benefits of coffee still pale in comparison to those of tea. So, whether you enjoy green, black, oolong, or Earl Grey, you are doing your body a wonderful favor by brewing that next healthful pot of tea.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love coffee and tea! I can't choose. When I was working, I'd stop by the coffee shop every morning for a large cappuccino with cocoa. Well, can't afford that anymore so I make my own at home. Just regular coffee, but I invested in one of those little $5 milk frothers, and so I have my own version of a cap every morning, sprinkled with cocoa too!

When I weined off my medication, I still found I needed help with anxiety, so twice a day I drink a combination of passionflower and chamomile teas. Before bed I usually have another "sleepy time" mix too. I have some green tea, but I find I have to be in the mood for it.

You're right though, everything in moderation!

Anonymous said...

I love tea! but I love coffee too. I just posted a blog about my tea drinking I have done the past couple days and I mentioned this posting in it. :) Another excellent blog as always. I can understand #6 because my Dad's girl friend said if you drink only tea that you will lose weight. Hmmm not to self...drink lots of tea! Haha

boya arsila said...

You and I are alike Rain, coffee and tea lovers. I like chamomile tea but I've never tried a combination of passionflower and chamomile teas, Is it good? Maybe I'd like to try it one day just to see if I can feel the relaxing eefect=) I believe you're doing the right thing...coffee for a morning booster and tea for a relaxing mood before going to bed at night. A perfect combination.

boya arsila said...

Michelle, thank you for mentioning me on your post about tea. Tea can actually help to reduce the excess fat of our body, that's what experts said. As long as you don't put sugar on your tea. Just like you said...drink lots of tea! =)

Anonymous said...

Oh yes! The passionflower/chamomile mix is like a shot of valium, and that's no joke. The first time I drank it, I drank it all down fast and I got this wave of calm. It was almost too much because I felt dopey. Now I sip it and it keeps me relatively calm throughout the day...well with a few exceptions! Lol, but I get over them!

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