Tea vs. coffee: the greatest rivalry in the history of beverages enjoyed around the world.
Which one do you enjoy in the morning?
Both tea and coffee have great popularity when it comes to morning rituals.
Some swear by the health benefits of tea, while others believe that coffee is the best choice in the morning because it wakes them up more.
Or maybe you feel that it is simply tradition to drink one or the other before starting your day?
Whatever camp you belong to, I think it is fun to know about the amount of coffee and tea consumption around the world and in the United States and some other facts about the two most popular drinks in the world.
By Andrew.
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Tea vs. Coffee Consumption Around the World
Coffee is the most popular drink of choice in the world with an estimated more than two billion cups consumed per day.
Tea is the second most popular beverage with about two billion cups drunk each day.
Many countries around the world choose either tea or coffee as their primary beverage – a tradition rooted in colonialism, politics, and trade.
Coffee and tea drinking are each endemic to certain parts of the globe and the geography of both tea and coffee drinkers has changed over time.
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For example, tea was the main drink of choice in the American colonies, but ever since the Boston Tea Party, which was a protest to the British crown, coffee has become the number one beverage choice in the U.S.
Americans drink about three times as much coffee as they do tea.
Asian countries with close ties to the U.S., such as South Korea and the Philippines also like to drink coffee more than tea in the morning.
Great Britain’s love of tea transferred over to its colonial expansions, and these areas of the world still prefer tea over coffee today.
Places once well known for coffee consumption, such as the Arabian Peninsula and Java, Turkey, now prefer tea instead for their breakfast beverage of choice.
I am an avid coffee drinker, so it is surprising how some countries can prefer tea over coffee. I mean, who doesn’t like coffee?
So, what is all the hullabaloo about tea? Read on to learn more.
Health Benefits of Drinking Tea in the Morning
Did you know that drinking tea, green tea in particular, especially in the morning offers some health benefits? It’s true. Read on to learn the health benefits of tea.
It increases attentiveness and awareness because it contains both caffeine and L-theanine.
Caffeine gives you energy which is a great choice in the morning and L-theanine produces a calming effect.
These two compounds together improve function of the brain, without causing a crash that can be caused by drinking only caffeine.
All the effects of coffee with no crash?
That sounds appealing, doesn’t it?
Try it for yourself! But how does it compare to coffee in terms of health benefits?
Black Tea vs. Black Coffee
Black tea and black coffee each have their own health benefits.
Both are rich in antioxidants, which prevent disease, including heart disease and cancer.
Some evidence has shown that coffee, in particular, protects against cirrhosis, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.
On the other hand, there is also some evidence that suggests tea helps prevent arthritis, cavities, and kidney stones.
A big difference between black tea and black coffee is the caffeine content.
Black coffee contains more caffeine than black tea, which can cause nervousness, rapid heartbeat, agitation, anxiety, and sleeplessness. Increased amounts of caffeine can also cause addiction to this powerful stimulant drug.
As mentioned above, green tea and black tea, by contrast contains less caffeine and also contains L-theanine and the combination is great for producing a calm alertness (if there is such a thing!).
If you are overly sensitive to caffeine, perhaps black tea is the better choice for you.
Are you getting to know the benefits of tea a little more after reading? I hope so. But do you also know that tea has some drawbacks? Read on to learn more.
Drinking Tea in the Morning on an Empty Stomach?
Did you know that you probably shouldn’t drink tea in the morning on an empty stomach?
Tea is very acidic and can upset the acidic stability of the stomach causing indigestion.
Theophylline, a chemical compound in tea, causes you to be dehydrated, which can lead to constipation.
Also, tea can also cause the loss of tooth enamel and can make you feel overly full and bloated.
To optimize the benefits of drinking tea, make sure to enjoy your first cup of the day one to two hours after eating breakfast.
Make sure tea is not the first thing you consume when you wake up.
This reduces the likelihood of stomach problems.
Conclusion
Coffee and tea are the most popular drinks in the world, with billions of cups consumed everyday around the world.
There is a lot of debate about which one is the best, in terms of taste and health benefits.
There are some places around the world that prefer mainly either coffee or tea.
Also, there are a number of health benefits of drinking coffee and tea, and some drawbacks as well.
Which one will you choose?
Photo by Samer Daboul
