Tea Vs Coffee:Which is better and why.

'Let us discuss this over coffee,maybe? Nah..I am a tea person'

How often have you heard this or been a part of a similar conversation?Plenty,I bet.Beautiful ideas,strong friendships,unbreakable relationships have brewed over cupfuls of your favourite beverage---For some it is tea..for some,coffee.

Ronaldo or Messi?

Batman or Joker?

Liverpool or Chelsea?

RCB or CSK?

Tea or Coffee?

These debates will never end.

We can however,draw a comparison between tea and coffee,and see what suits us best.

Lets begin with ....

TEA!

Tea or 'Chai' as we Indians love to call it,was introduced to India by the British in 1836 and is an inseperable part of our lives today. Some like their tea black,some like it with milk,some prefer it sweetened with honey and a dash of lemon and some don't.When consumed in its raw black form,tea can be very beneficial for our health.

Let us see how.

• Tea is loaded with antioxidants which eliminate free radicals in the body,thereby boosting immunity.

• Black tea protects heart function and fights inflammation in the body,reduces blood pressure,reduces the risk of diabetes and heart attack as tea helps to process sugar better in the body.

• With regular consumption,tea helps shrink fat cells thereby making u leaner and fitter.

• Tea contains half the amount of caffeine in it as coffee,and hence is more suitable for drinkers who are caffeine sensitive.

All this goodness,however,comes with its own set of vices.

• Tannin in tea causes discoloration of teeth and may lower absorption of iron in the body,when consumed in large amounts,making the consumer vulnerable to anaemia.

Fun Fact : Black tea is fermented,green tea is not. Hence they derive the colors that they do!

Now coming to....

COFFEE!

Coffee was brought to India in the 16th century by a Sufi saint named Baba Budan. It is believed that he brought with him, coffee beans from Yemen while he was traveling to India after finishing his pilgrimage at Mecca.

Just like tea,some like their coffee black,some like it with milk,some like it sweet and some don't.

Its benefits are many,let us see some listed below:

• Coffee improves metabolism and energy levels,thereby becoming the first beverage choice of the day for many.

• It reduces risk of diabetes,Alzheimer’s and dementia,Parkinson’s disease,prostrate and colon cancer.

• It contains double the amount of caffeine as that in tea and hence provides the sudden rush of energy that many active performers desire.

But unfortunately,drinking coffee too,has its own set of disadvantages.

• The high amount of caffeine in coffee robs the calcium off of bones,thereby making them weak, with prolonged consumption.

• Caffeine acts as a mild drug and is known to be cause addiction over time.

FUN FACT: Black tea contains around 55 mg of caffeine in every eight ounce portion (approx. 236 ml), coffee contains almost double that amount- 100 mg per eight ounces. So if you have caffeine-sensitivity or gastric troubles due to caffeine, you must switch to black tea instead of black coffee.

How much tea/coffee should you consume?

Modern science states that 4 cups of tea/coffee a day can be consumed,more than that may cause health issues.

However,consuming tea or coffee on an empty stomach is not considered good for health. 30 mins after meal(breakfast or lunch) is a favourable time.

Ayurveda,however,supports consumption of tea or coffee only when we are down with a fever,cold or sinus,or have a problem of extreme oily skin.

An alternative

Ayurveda recommends an alternative beverage --Arjuna Tea.

It is prepared from the bark of the Arjuna tree and is known to have a plethora of health benefits like:

• Arjuna tea is alkaline in nature which helps in maintaining the overall health of the body.

• It controls blood sugar.

• Acts as a tonic for the heart.

• Can be had on an empty stomach(which is not recommended in case of tea/coffee)

• Burns fat

• Acts as a blood purifier.

So we can conclude that both tea and coffee can do good for our body if consumed in moderation, as well as harm us if taken in large proportions.

Which one do you root for-tea or coffee? Mention in the comments! :)