Brilio.net/en - Talking about tea and coffee, it seems like the world has divided itself into two, one side is the coffee lovers, and the other the tea fanatics. However, countless arguments have been raised over the superiority of one beverage over the other.
George Orwell once wrote, Tea is one of the mainstays of civilization in this (Britain) country. But even British are forced to agree that their national beverage is facing tight competition with the espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes invading their shores. But what does science actually say?
Choosing tea over coffee and vice versa may strongly depend on a persons personal taste, but scientific literature has taken up the issue and examined the measurable effects on our body and mind.
The wake-up call effect
Many of us need a caffeine kick in the morning. Its the fuel to our engines, when were still feeling a bit creaky.
Based essentially on its caffeine competition, coffee should win one point: a cup of tea has about half the dose (40 milligrams) of the stimulant caffeine that we would find in a standard cup of brewed filter coffee (80 to 115 milligrams). Yet this doesnt necessarily reflect the effect of the wake-up call.
By giving subjects either coffee or tea, one study found that both beverages had the same effect on the subjects. They felt similarly alert in the morning.
Although that study was based on self-reported feelings of alertness, they failed to find clear differences in more objective measures of concentration, such as reaction times. Indeed, when you drink a cup of tea which was made to equivalent the strength of coffee, it will has the same mind-sharpening effect as coffee.
The scientists concluded that the wake-up-call effect is not all about the caffeine dose. Perhaps the drinkers expectation is also determines the effect, or it could be that its the overall experience of the tastes, and smells, of drinkers favorite drink that awakens the senses.
Verdict: Against expectation, tea seems to provide just as powerful of a wake-up call effect as coffee. Its a draw.
Disturbance to sleep quality
The sharpest difference between coffee and tea may appear once your head hits the pillow.
Comparing subjects who drank the same amount of tea or coffee over a single day, researchers at the University of Surrey in the UK confirmed that though both drinks gives similar benefits to drinkers attention during the day, coffee drinkers tend to have a harder time falling asleep at night.
This is perhaps because the caffeine in the coffee has finally affected them. Tea drinkers, in contrast, had longer and more peaceful slumbers.
Verdict: Tea offers many benefits as coffee offered, without sleepless night. A win.
Tooth staining effect
Image: bonza
Along with red wine, coffee and tea are both noted to turn our pearly whites into shades of yellow and brown. But which one has worse effect?
Most dentist agree that natural pigments in tea are more likely to stain dental enamels than coffee, particularly if we use a mouthwash containing the common antiseptic chlorhexidine. The chemical seems to bind the microscopic particles of the pigments with our teeths enamels.
Verdict: If you want a perfect smile, coffee may be a better computer-side drink. Thatll make it 1-1.
A cure for distressed souls
In England, its common to give tea and sympathy to a friend who is in pain. A cup of Earl Grey believed to be a medicine for troubled minds.
In fact, scientists found some evidence that tea could soothe the uptight nerves. Regular tea drinkers tend to show calmer physiological response to unsettling situations, such as public speaking, compared to people who drank herbal infusions.
Overall, people who drink three cups a day appear to have a 37% lower risk of depression than those who do not drink tea.
Coffee, on the other hand, doesnt have the same reputation. Some report shows that coffee drinkers sometimes feel like their nerves are clashing. Yet, there is some evidence that coffee also may protect against long-term mental health problems.
The results of studies involving more than 300,000 participants found that each cup of coffee a day seems to reduce the risk of developing depression by around 8%, while other beverages (such as soft drinks) only increase your risk of developing mental health problems.
Even with such a great effort from the scientists, in this epidemiological study, its not easy to make the result more accurate. But we may assume both coffee and tea offer beneficial nutrients to relieve stress and boost our mood in the long term.
Verdict: Based on this limited evidence, its a draw.
The elixir of health
Studies have suggested that both coffee and tea offer many other benefit to our health. A few cups of these beverages a day happen to reduce risks of diabetes, for example (exact benefit is still under studies; estimates vary from 5-40%).
Because even decaf coffee gives the same benefits, it seems like nutrients in coffee and tea are boosthing the metabolism so that it can still efficiently process blood glucose without becoming insensitive to insulin (that may caused diabetes).
Both beverages also seem to protect the heart, moderately. Though the evidence shows stronger effects from coffee, tea also appears to slightly defend against developing some kind of cancer, perhaps due to its antioxidants.
Verdict: Another draw; both are surprisingly offer benetifts to health.
Now, as many factors place tea and coffee in same strong position, its time for you to suggest the final verdict. Do you prefer harmonious sleep, or a smile with perfect white teeth? You decide.
source: BBC