Coffee Or Tea - Which Is
Better For You?
by Lee Dobbins
Most people cannot function
without either their morning cup of coffee or tea.
While, it's mostly the caffeine that gets people going,
a side benefit from drinking these
beverages is that you may be boosting your immune system and
helping to fight disease.
While the health benefits of drinking green tea have been much
publicized, few people realize that drinking coffee can have
health benefits as well but recent studies show that coffee may
share some of the healthy attributes that green tea has
shown.
Like green tea, coffee has antioxidants including quinines,
chlorogenic acid and tocopherols as well as essential minerals
such as magnesium. All of which help in glucose metabolism and
result in those who regularly drink coffee having a reduced
risk of diabetes. Both coffee and green tea have been shown to
contain compounds which have antibacterial properties that can
help prevent tooth decay and may help to fight food
poisoning.
Green tea has been shown to have a role in the prevention of
cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease,
cataracts, and to help boost your immune system. In addition,
green tea may also help you lose weight and is said to help
lower blood sugar and cholesterol as well as slow the aging
process.
Coffee is said to contain compounds that boost the activity of
enzymes which may protect against colon cancer (according to
animal studies published in the Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry). Other health benefits of coffee include a
reduced risk of developing Parkinsons Disease, help in
relieving asthma symptoms, stopping tension headaches, and
inhibiting the formation of gallstones.
When it comes to the question of how much coffee or tea you
need to benefit the answers can be a bit confusing. While most
everyone agrees that the caffeinated should only be taken in
small amounts (no more than 3 cups of coffee a day) to avoid
the addictive qualities of the caffeine, it's a bit more vague
on how much tea is recommended. Some say 10 cups a day, others
say you can experience the benefits with 3 cups a day.
About the author:
Lee Dobbins writes for Online Gourmet Foods
where you can find out more about gourmet
coffee and tea.
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