Depending on your taste, you can't start the day without enjoying a cup of coffee or tea, as both help us wake up and carry on with the day in the best possible way, energized and rejuvenated. Both beverages, although very different, offer many health benefits. Tea is older, dating back to 250 BC in China. Legend has it that an emperor of the time ordered that all water consumed had to be boiled; and while he waited, leaning against a tree, leaves from the bush fell into his container of hot water, spreading a delicious aroma. From that moment on, tea became the most consumed beverage in the empire, considered a medicine, and it became the first commercial product, responsible for boosting the Chinese economy of the time. Regarding coffee, you already know that its origin dates back to the 13th century AD; however, various archaeologists claim that there is evidence of coffee's use as a medicine since 900 BC.
I was telling you that coffee and tea, although different, are similar in their medicinal effects. Both beverages contain a certain amount of caffeine. The caffeine in tea is called "theine," which is chemically the same molecule, but coffee surpasses it in the amount of caffeine, which is found not only in the coffee plant but also in tea, yerba mate, guarana berries, and in small quantities in cocoa. It can also be manufactured in laboratories and is added to some soft drinks, foods, and medications. Well, you also know that caffeine increases brain activity, alertness, attention, and energy. It can also increase blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate, as well as the loss of body water in urine.
Theine is absorbed more slowly than caffeine. Its content helps regulate concentration levels. The caffeine in coffee, on the other hand, awakens anxiety and excitement, as it is absorbed more quickly, producing almost immediate and stronger stimulating effects.
Now, notice how both beverages differ and also resemble each other. Both have very important physical benefits; they reduce the risk of several types of cancer, due to their high antioxidant content. They have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that help alleviate some ailments such as arthritis. They improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels. They help prevent cardiovascular disease and improve cholesterol levels. They contain key nutrients for the body such as potassium and magnesium, and protect the liver, reducing the risk of cirrhosis. Regarding mental benefits, both beverages reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and help with stress and depression.
Regarding their differences, both wake you up in the morning and keep you alert and focused, but at night, tea helps you fall asleep faster. Coffee stains teeth, while tea contains fluoride, which helps cleanse your mouth. Regarding theine, which, as I mentioned, is a molecule completely identical to caffeine, the difference is that it has a slower effect than the caffeine in coffee, but it lasts longer. For this reason, it is said that coffee's effect is rapid, while tea's is more relaxing. Among other differences, I can tell you that coffee is extracted from beans, and tea from leaves. Tea was discovered three thousand years before coffee. Preparing coffee is a bit more complex than preparing tea. Although there are different varieties of coffee, two stand out in particular in our culture: Arabica, which is a higher-quality variety, and Robusta, which is used for mass-produced coffees and contains the most caffeine. When it comes to tea, there are many categories such as green tea, black tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong tea (between green and black), and other teas that do not have caffeine, such as honey tea or mint tea.
Finally, the most important thing to keep in mind is that there are several types of coffee and tea, and depending on how you consume them, they can affect your health for better or worse. If you don't consume them correctly, overindulging in them can turn from being very beneficial to being very harmful. And remember, the three most consumed beverages in the world, in which moderation should prevail, are, in order: water, coffee, and tea.