Tea or Coffee? The question is simple: do we start the day with a potent dose of caffeine or do we prefer a warm, gentle cup of tea that contains no caffeine? The Washington Post poses the dilemma on the basis that scientists have found that “drinking coffee or tea regularly can provide a variety of health benefits.”
To the former’s advantage goes the fact that a study published in the National Library of Medicine found that on average, coffee contains between 1.1 and 1.8 grams of fiber per cup, depending on whether it is filtered, espresso or instant, and that it turns out to have “more fiber” than can be found in orange juice, for example, “which has about half a gram of fiber per cup.”
It sums up the study described by the Times: one will still need to eat “a lot of fruits and vegetables to get the recommended 25 grams” of fiber per day, “but two or three daily cups of coffee can help you get there” in the while a cup of tea generally “won’t help meet the daily fiber requirement,” unless “you decide to munch on tea leaves.”
However, the caffeine in both drinks can help with concentration, although “too much caffeine can lead to nervousness and over-excitement, which can end up damaging personal performance.”
So in this case, better coffee or tea? The truth is that the amount of caffeine in coffee and tea can vary depending on many factors, but according to some experts, “an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine” (American coffee, dose about a quart) and espresso and instant coffee have less, but in comparison, “an 8-ounce cup of black tea contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine.” In this case, tea scores a point in its own favor.
And on the benefit to the gut microbiome? Coffee wins the round.
Round tied on the other hand on lower risk of heart disease.
Lower cancer risk? Coffee is favored while there is “little evidence to support the hypothesis that tea consumption is associated with cancer risk.”
Type 2 diabetes? Coffee wins.
Stress levels? Tea wins.
Longevity? Tie.
