Tea Instead of Coffee in the Morning: Here's Why
By Paul Rothbart
There's a reason coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, especially in the morning. There are many varieties and it tastes good, but it's the caffeine. That wonderful substance that helps you wake up and get the day off to a fast start. It certainly accounts for the number of coffee shops found in most communities. Coffee does have other benefits, but too much can be bad for you. Fortunately, coffee is not the only beverage that contains caffeine. Tea also contains enough caffeine to pick you up while having other health benefits and fewer of the potential negatives of coffee. Here are some reasons to consider a cup of tea in the morning.
Caffeine Content
Although caffeine is the main reason people drink coffee in the morning, too much of it can cause jitters and lightheadedness. An individual tea leaf contains more caffeine than a single coffee bean, but due to the different brewing processes, a cup of tea has less than a cup of coffee. To brew a cup of coffee requires about 10 grams of beans, while tea only needs 3-5 grams of leaves per cup. Coffee beans release caffeine much more quickly than tea leaves and thus, a cup has about 10 times the caffeine content of an equal amount of tea. Drinking tea is much less likely to cause jitters and is a better option for the afternoon pick-me-up as there is less of a risk of interfering with sleep.
Improved Focus
Caffeine can boost energy but it can also make it hard to focus. It's often a nervous type of energy. Tea contains the amino acid, L-theanine. This substance can help you relax without making you drowsy, thus improving focus. In many nations, tea is used as an aid to meditation due to its combination of caffeine and L-theanine.
More Flavors
Coffee does come in different flavors and you can add flavored creamer, but there is a much wider selection of tea flavors from which to choose. Sweet, savory, or spice, whatever you like best. Many of the flavors of tea contain healthy nutrients that provide even more health benefits. There are also multiple varieties of tea such as black, green, and matcha. Each has a different flavor and different combinations of healthy ingredients.
Waking up and preparing for a new day can be challenging. It's nice to have a little boost. Caffeine does the job nicely. Before reaching for the first cup of coffee, consider giving tea a try. You may find it's a better option for your first beverage of the day.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in University Place, Wash.