Tea Vs. Coffee

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By Amy Freeman
eHow Contributing Writer

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Drinking tea is often thought to be healthful, while coffee drinking has traditionally been maligned as unhealthy. In recent years, however, coffee's several health benefits have been brought to light. Additionally, the health benefits of tea and coffee have been minimized in certain beverages made with them.

Health Benefits of Tea

Tea contains antioxidants. Photo by Eduardo Mueses: Flickr.com
Both green and black teas are known to contain many antioxidants. Tea also helps keep bones strong and, unlike coffee, does not stain teeth. Tea has been shown to boost the immune system and raise metabolism.

Health Benefits of Coffee

Coffee drinking may reduce risk of disease. Photo by dimnikolov: Flickr.com
Recent studies show that those who drink coffee have a reduced risk for getting Parkinson's Disease, developing colon cancer or getting type 2 diabetes.

Health Benefits Found in Both Coffee and Tea

Drinking either coffee or tea can help lower the risk of stroke. And either beverage may lower the risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Caffeine Content

Coffee and tea, including green tea, contain caffeine. However, the caffeine content in coffee and tea varies and may affect different people differently. While coffee is associated with a caffeine jolt, the caffeine in tea does not usually cause jitters or over-excitement.

Sugary Coffee and Tea Drinks

The health benefits of both coffee and tea are negated somewhat when they are mixed into drinks full of cream and sugar. Drinking a very sweet mocha or cappuccino will not lower one's risk for diabetes. The high amount of sugar and calories in bubble tea, a flavored, sweetened tea with tapioca balls, outweighs any health benefits seen from the small amount of tea in the drink.

A Matter of Taste

In the battle of coffee versus tea, it comes down to a matter of taste and preference. Some people prefer the delicate flavor of green tea or the more robust flavor of black tea, while others enjoy coffee's bitter taste. Still other people may not particularly like the taste of coffee or tea but drink either or both for the caffeine or out of a belief that they will help increase longevity, alertness and stave off disease.