Health Benefits : The Key Differences In Coffee And Tea

At some point in your transition to adult life, you probably turned to either coffee or tea in order to receive your daily morning boost of caffeine to get you through the day. There have been numerous studies conducted, all of which prove the health benefits of both types of drink. However, if they’re both so healthy and great sources of caffeine, why are many people so split in their opinions on them? We’ve all been asked at one point or another whether we’re a coffee or tea kind of person. It turns out that there are some notable differences between the two types of drinks, aside from the obvious differences in taste. Here is an essential breakdown between black coffee and black tea, which is the type of tea with the highest amounts of caffeine. 

Black Coffee

In a surprising twist, coffee actually contains a bit of protein! There’s only a little more than half a gram per every 2 cups, but that still beats tea’s zero protein content level. Coffee also contains a bit of calcium (yes, even without milk added) and phosphorus, which are both two very important minerals for maintaining bone strength). Coffee also has more potassium, although only about 2% more than black tea, weighing in at 7% of your recommended daily amount as opposed to the 5% found in tea. Coffee has more of the cell membrane-enhancing nutrient choline than black tea does. 

Black Tea

Black tea contains virtually the exact same amount of magnesium levels as coffee does, which is great news for your immune system. Black tea has higher levels of folate, which is an important mineral your body uses to help fight off anemia. Both black tea and black coffee contain the same very low amount of calories – literally just 5 calories. It’s also important to note that black tea has significantly lower levels of caffeine than its counterpart black coffee, at 95 mg versus 190 mg.

Both drinks taste great, provide you with a much-needed jolt of caffeine, and contain lots of healthy nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants. Still, coffee tends to contain more of the stuff your body craves, in everything from caffeine to calcium to lesser-known nutrients such as choline. Either drink is ultimately going to be a great choice, both for your health and your levels of alertness each morning. Regardless of which hot beverage you choose, it would be a good idea to shell out the few extra dollars for organic coffee beans or tea leaves, to avoid pesticide residue.

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