The Age-Old Debate: Tea Or Coffee?

Jemi Fischbach

• September 18, 2020

Waking up in the morning without a hot and stimulating cup of tea or coffee may seem impossible. Coffee and tea have become so ingrained into modern society as a staple in the morning that people rely on it to get their day started. As coffee and tea contain caffeine, people can develop a habit of drinking them and often suffer from withdrawal symptoms if they fail to get their daily dose. When it comes to choosing which one is better, it is helpful to look at the effects of each so that you can figure out what you want to experience. While there are benefits and disadvantages to both, it is ultimately up to the consumer to choose.

When questioning their tea or coffee intake, most people often ask themselves: Should I cut down? Should I drink decaf? Is this safe every day? As more and more of these questions come to light, researchers are being put to work with new studies being released. However, with these studies, people are almost always left with the prevailing notion that it depends on one’s lifestyle and preferences.

If you take a look at tea and coffee throughout time, you can get a better sense of how their popularity came to be and why people tend to question which is better for you.

Tea History At A Glance

The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, has been around for centuries, but the first tea drinkers were in ancient China. These tea drinkers initially sought out the medicinal properties of tea and used it to treat several conditions. Once people started to recognize the benefits of drinking tea, people throughout Asia and Europe began jumping on board. People soon were drinking tea for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Today across China and the UK, it is one of the most popular drinks, where in the UK, it is expected when you go to someone’s house for a visit.

When looking at true teas, or tea derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, there are six different types, but all are very similar. There is white, yellow, green, oolong, black, and post-fermented. The teas vary based on when they are harvested and their level of oxidation. While there are only six types of true teas, there are hundreds, if not an unlimited amount of herbal teas. You can essentially make an herbal tea out of any plant or flower that you have around the house, but some of the most common are mint, chamomile, currant, and rooibos. Kratom tea would be an example of herbal tea as it is made from the mitragyna speciosa tree rather than from the Camellia sinensis plant.

Coffee History At A Glance

The stimulating effects of coffee originate from a goat farmer whose goats ate the berries from the Coffea plant in Ethiopia. The energizing effects of the berries became coveted, and people began to try them for themself. Once people started to witness these effects, the drink coffee was introduced, which gained popularity throughout Europe and Saudi Arabia. While most people praised coffee, some believed it was evil. After Pope Clement VIII endorsed coffee, people felt comfortable taking it up as a daily drink. Soon everyone was benefiting from the heightened productivity it provided them. Coffee soon began taking the place of morning tea in Europe and spread throughout the Americas.

So Which Is More Beneficial?

When comparing true teas and coffee, there are similar benefits. The antioxidants provided by green tea and coffee are very much alike. However, green tea offers a much more subdued stimulant but is still very powerful. As coffee has nearly two times the amount of caffeine, many people still rely on it to wake them up as they find tea is not strong enough. When looking at the benefits of herbal tea, one should note that any plant can be transformed into a tea so the consumer can reap its benefits. So, in this case, there are hundreds of benefits to herbal tea, depending on which kind you make. For example, mint tea can help soothe the stomach, chamomile tea can induce relaxation, and lavender tea can prevent insomnia.

While coffee is widely recognized as the morning drink of choice, there are not many variations of coffee other than that of weaker or decaf options. Some homeopaths will prescribe coffee to a patient who requires liver detoxification, so there are some niche uses, but herbal teas tend to have more advantages. It is essential for both true tea and coffee that you keep your daily amount to a minimum as too much can cause a plethora of problems, especially concerning coffee. People who drink too much coffee can develop sleeping issues, problems with their adrenal system, and kidney stones.

You can speak to a reputable Kratom vendor about their products for more information.