How tea is better than coffee

Love cats or prefer dogs? Meat or no meat? 'Tea or coffee?' is another question that doesn't go away. Tea Plays gives an argument for the leaves over the beans.

Tea is cheaper, simpler and older

Both tea and coffee became known in the west around the 17th and 18th centuries – of course, tea's history in the far east is much older. As the first coffee and tea houses sprang up in Europe, tea eventually took deeper root in societies, especially Northern Europe and Britain. Part of the reason for this early success was the cost effectiveness of the drink, which allowed a tea- or coffee-house to brew up a great deal more of the drink.

Nowadays, a single ounce of tea is enough for over a dozen cups, whereas a greater amount of coffee is usually needed for either filter or espresso coffee. The amount needed for the flavor also explains the relatively high caffeine charge from coffee (150 mg per six ounce cup http://www.theteatable.com/tea101_teafaq.html), even though tea has more caffeine by weight.

Then consider the simplicity: tea unites poor and better off in a consistent method of preparation. If you can heat water, and have the leaves, you have tea – compare this to the machines needed for a high quality espresso, and the wider problem of plastic and other waste from the industry.

Less concentrated

Being less concentrated (when made correctly of course) means that tea is easier on your stomach, allowing you to drink more during the day without experiencing the potential stomach upsets (or even ulcers) and mood crashes that are often associated with coffee.

This may explain why some studies have found tea is a better predictor of improved performance at work than coffee is (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666311006386). Tea is also associated with relatively better sleep patterns – and a long list of more remote benefits such as cell repair and cancer prevention.

Double the benefits

Finally, what is Tea Plays' final answer for today? Of course, we give the prize to tea, because while both tea and coffee can give you an energy boost, tea (thanks to the theanines https://www.verywell.com/the-benefits-of-theanine-89228) can soothe you while improving attentiveness at the same time.

That is an answer focused on the infusion that we drink; ask any Chinese, Japanese or Southeast Asian person and they'll tell you how the tea plant has numerous other uses: cooking, medicine and more. We will be sure to look closely at each of these in future.

Tags: All About Tea, Tea Benefits