What is the best ... coffee, black tea, or green tea?
What are the most prominent health benefits provided by each?
Are there specific caveats?
The answers are in this comprehensive report.
We start with the balance between coffee and tea, then move to the balance between black tea and green tea.
Coffee contains more caffeine than tea, which is a stimulant that makes you feel alert and energized, according to a report in "Insider".
Caffeine has multiple benefits, for example, a study found that people who consumed a moderate amount of caffeine had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to people who did not consume any of it.
They were also less likely to have some cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and cancers such as colon cancer, uterine cancer and liver cancer.
One cup of coffee typically contains 80 to 100 milligrams of caffeine, according to Dr. Christopher Gardner, director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Center for Prevention Research, in his statement to Insider.
On the other hand, one cup of tea contains only 30 to 50 milligrams of caffeine.
Dr. Matthew Chow, assistant professor of neuroscience at UC Davis School of Medicine, says that in general coffee contains 2 to 3 times more caffeine than the same amount of black tea.
Coffee contains more antioxidants than tea, which are chemical compounds that may reduce the risk of certain conditions such as cancer or diabetes.
"In general, coffee has more antioxidants than tea preparations," says Zhao.
Common antioxidants in coffee include chlorogenic, ferulic, caffeic and n-coumaric acids.
On the other hand, one of the main components of green tea is called catechin, which is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Gardner says that obtaining antioxidants in the form of coffee or tea can prevent a chemical reaction that may cause damage to cells, and that may help reduce the risk of diseases such as some types of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
In contrast, tea contains a substance not found in coffee, L-theanine, a chemical that makes the metabolism of caffeine happen in a longer time.
One study found that those who consumed a combination of L-theanine and caffeine scored better on an attention test than those who consumed caffeine alone.
The study concluded that combining the two improved cognitive performance and attention.
Both green and black tea contain L-theanine, but green tea contains slightly more, at 6.56 mg, compared to 5.13 mg of black tea.
Black tea and green tea
Black tea and green tea are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The main difference between the two is that black tea is oxidized and green tea is not oxidized.
To make black tea, the leaves are first rolled and then exposed to air to stimulate the oxidation process, turning the leaves dark brown and allowing the flavors to concentrate.
As for green tea, it is treated to prevent its oxidation and hence its color is much lighter than black tea.
What are the common benefits of black tea and green tea?
Both black tea and green tea may help protect the heart, as they contain a group of protective antioxidants called polyphenols, including flavonoids.
The flavonoids found in green and black tea are thought to protect the heart.
Reducing bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein LDL) and triglycerides.
They may help reduce heart attacks and strokes. According to a study, people who drank one to 3 cups of green tea a day had a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes.
A study also found that drinking at least 3 cups of black tea can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Enhance brain function, because green and black tea contain caffeine.
Green tea contains less caffeine than black tea, about 35 milligrams per 230 milliliters compared to 39 milligrams to 109 milligrams for the same serving of black tea, and caffeine stimulates the nervous system and enhances alertness and mood.
Green and black teas also contain the amino acid L-theanine (as previously mentioned) which is not present in coffee.
It is believed that L-Theanine crosses the blood-brain barrier and triggers the release of an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) that causes a state of relaxation and stimulation at the same time.
It also boosts the release of dopamine and serotonin, which both improve mood.
In general, there is slightly more L-theanine in green tea than black tea.
Conclusion:
Coffee contains more caffeine than black tea and green tea.
Coffee has more antioxidants than black tea and green tea.
Coffee, black tea, and green tea have multiple benefits in preventing disease.
If you want a quick activity boost, coffee's high caffeine content means you should choose coffee.
If you are sensitive or irritated by caffeine, you may prefer tea because it is low in caffeine and contains L-theanine, which means that you get a more permanent and stable energy boost.
Cautions
You have to drink coffee and tea in moderation to reap the benefits, as drinking more than 4 or 5 cups a day can lead to health risks from excessive caffeine.
If you suffer from high blood pressure or heart problems, you should consult your doctor about drinking caffeine, as there are certain conditions that caffeine may not be suitable for, such as irritable bowel syndrome and stomach ulcers, so consult your doctor.
It is important not to consume too much caffeine, which the US Food and Drug Administration defines as more than 4 to 5 cups of coffee per day.
The Food and Drug Administration says that an amount of 400 milligrams - about 4 or 5 cups of coffee - per day for healthy adults is not generally associated with serious negative effects.
However, there is wide variation in both how sensitive people are to the effects of caffeine and how quickly they metabolize it.
As for excessive caffeine intake, it may cause:
Nausea
diarrhea.
Insomnia.
Anxiety.
High heart rate.
Epileptic seizures.
Joints
For its part, the Swiss Health Center warned that excessive caffeine intake may harm the joints.
It may destroy cartilage tissue, paving the way for degenerative joint disease, also known as osteoarthritis, according to German News Agency.
The center explained that degenerative joint disease is a non-regenerative damage that affects cartilage articular tissues that reduce friction resulting from permanent joint movement, and act as a cushion to protect the bones.
The erosion of this protective layer due to the disease leads to friction of the bone tissue, and the friction is accompanied by infections that affect the joint cavity and cause pain and joint stiffness, which negatively affects the quality of life.
To avoid these risks, one should avoid exceeding the maximum permissible values for caffeine intake, which is 400 milligrams (4 coffee cups), noting that caffeine is found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, colas and chocolate.