Alertness, the feel-good factor and health benefits – we look for these and more in our beverages. Find out if coffee or tea came out tops.
Going by beverages, the world can be divided into three camps – die-hard coffee drinkers, tea aficionados and those who are straddling the line.
We pit the two against each other for alertness, having a feel-good factor and health benefits.
The drink to keep you alert at work – Coffee
According to The Straits Times, coffee gives you a stronger kick of caffeine, that stimulates the central nervous system. Every cup contains 100mg to 140mg. A mug of tea has half that, racking up a decent 50mg per serving. While smaller studies have expressed doubt that dosage is key to alertness, the theory has not been confirmed with a larger group of participants. We say that coffee wins on this count.
The drink that promotes positive emotions – Tea
Tea, or green tea in particular has anti-depressant qualities. A study published in Psychopharmacology found that people who drank tea were calmer when put under pressure during events like public speaking.
Further research published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry showed that consuming three cups of tea every week reduces one’s risk of depression by 37 per cent, as compared to those who didn’t drink it.
In contrast, coffee drinkers have found it harder to sleep at night, and were often on the edge with emotions after getting the day’s dose.
The drink that gives you the most health benefits – Tea
Both coffee and green tea can help to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, according to recent studies. But, the benefits of green tea are unparalleled. These include a boost of antioxidants with anti-aging properties, weight loss and protecting your teeth and bones.
