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Tea or coffee
Which is the healthier option?
The table is laid, and your guests eagerly take their seats. "Coffee or tea?" you inquire once more. This often marks the start of a lively discussion on the pros and cons of different hot drinks. But which is healthier, tea or coffee?
A comparison of ingredients
The effects of tea and coffee on the body are complex as many different ingredients are involved. Die-hard coffee drinkers swear by the effects of caffeine. How does caffeine affect the body? In actual fact, it is an alkaloid that has a stimulating effect. Scientists have discovered that caffeine may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as it stabilises the blood-brain barrier which can be damaged by cholesterol.
Caffeine is not only found in coffee, but also in tea. On average, a coffee bean contains two per cent caffeine while a tea leaf contains between one and five per cent. The amount of caffeine in a hot drink also depends on how it is prepared. To make coffee, you need a larger amount of coffee beans. Tea requires comparatively fewer tea leaves. This explains why coffee has a higher caffeine content.
100 ml of coffee brewed by hand contains about 40 to 66 mg of the substance.
Popular hot drinks such as a latte macchiato or a cappuccino contain around half of this amount. Espresso has the highest caffeine content – roughly twice as much as hand-brewed filter coffee. The caffeine content in tea is significantly lower, ranging from 20 to 50 mg per 100 ml.
When enjoying a cup of coffee, caffeine takes effect faster, whereas drinking a cup of tea results in a longer-lasting effect. The alkaloid in tea is bound to tannins, hence it is absorbed more slowly by the body.
Tea contains other substances that may have a positive effect on health: for instance, fluoride protects teeth. Green tea contains secondary plant compounds that can reduce the risk of cancer and vascular diseases, lower blood pressure and inhibit inflammation. So, in answer to the question of which is healthier, tea or coffee? Each hot drink affects our bodies in different ways.
Healthier preparation
How healthy tea or coffee actually is also depends on the preparation method. For tea to develop its preventative effect against cancer and vascular diseases, it needs to be consumed without milk. Otherwise, the casein in milk will prevent the body from absorbing the active substances.
The length of time the tea is brewed also plays a part. If the tea leaves remain in the water for just a short amount of time, fewer tannins will be released. Without tannins, caffeine can be absorbed much faster and the tea has a more stimulating effect.
If tea is brewed for a longer amount of time, it has a more calming effect. Black tea is an excellent pick-me-up as it contains fewer tannins than green tea.
The healthiest way to prepare coffee is the classic manual brewing method. Coffee machines force water through the coffee beans under high pressure and at high temperatures. This can release bitter compounds, acids and alkaloids. But when coffee is brewed gently by hand, these substances remain in the coffee beans, making the coffee easier to digest.
Coffee or tea for everyone
Explore our large selection of cups & mugs
Coffee or tea for everyone
Explore our large selection of cups & mugs