Category Archives: Diet

Four Great Reasons to Drink Tea Instead of Coffee

The health industry is growing in 2019 – and we’re starting to see new diets and trends developing, from the keto diet to intermittent fasting. Another health trend we’re only starting to understand is the benefits of tea.

Caffeine is the best addiction. No, really – although the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal can certainly be nasty, putting its victims through nasty headaches and mood swings, there’s really no reason to ever stop. Caffeine has been shown to be a proven mood booster, making you feel good and energized at the same time. It can help to improve focus and memory and boost awareness while helping to get rid of grogginess, making it a favorite of early morning workers and late night studyholics alike. Drinks and foods with caffeine also tend to contain other beneficial compounds like antioxidants that are good for more than just your grades or end of quarter performance reviews. But not all caffeinated drinks are created equal. Although coffee is universally beloved because of its high caffeine content, it turns out that tea is actually better for you in more ways than one.

It’s Good for Your Brain

In addition to its other benefits, tea – and green tea specifically – has been found to contain a compound called EGCG, which has been shown in controlled studies to counteract the negative health effects associated with bad diets. This includes weight gain and diabetes, but several kinds of mental decline have also been linked to an unhealthy eating regimen, including Alzheimers, which some have nicknamed “Type 3 diabetes” due to its dietary causes.

It’s Good for Your Body

Tea and coffee certainly both contain caffeine, but the methods of preparation differ significantly. Tea absorbs caffeine from leaves via seeping, wherein the high temperatures allow chemicals from the plant leaves to enter the water. Coffee, on the other hand, absorbs chemicals from ground beans, usually through a porous paper or metal filter. The difference may seem miniscule but the fine fain of coffee grounds makes for a much thicker final product and that means more work for your kidneys, which can develop stones if they process too much sedimentary liquid and not enough water, a much higher risk for coffee than tea.

No Acrylamide

Another risk associated with coffee is acrylamide, a chemical compound associated with an increased risk of cancer that presents itself as a result of the roasting process that coffee beans undergo before they are ground up to become powder. There are other foods that can produce acrylamide as a result of overcooking, but it’s easier to avoid french fries than coffee. Because tea leaves aren’t roasted, there’s no risk of producing acrylamide simply by boiling the dried leaves.

More Varieties

Many varieties of tea contain caffeine, but many also do not, and tea drinkers have a much wider variety to choose from. There are teas that are good for waking up, teas that are good for sleeping, teas that are good for promotive healthy digestive function, and a whole range of other teas in different flavors and with different functions