Save Time and Do Groceries Online Now. Free UK Delivery on Eligible Orders! Browse & Discover Thousands of products. Read Customer Reviews and Find Best Sellers
Navigation Links:
- Buy on Amazon.co.uk
Shop Our Range Of Baby Food
At Amazon.co.uk Today!
- Fresh on Amazon
Just a couple of taps from
the-kitchen to your door.
- Superfoods
Discover our selection of-healthy
and nutritious snacks.
- Drinks
Discover our selection of-drinks
at the best prices.
- Baby Foods
Discover our selection of-baby
foods at the best price
- Crisps & Snacks
Shop Crisps & Snacks
at-Amazon.co.uk.
Looking for Black Tea Leaf? Find it all on eBay with Fast and Free Shipping. We've got your back with eBay money-back guarantee. Enjoy Black Tea Leaf you can trust.
Shop Our Wide Range of Premium Quality Health & Wellness Products, Wholefoods & Herbs. Discover Indigo Herbs Vast Range of Affordable High Quality Superfoods, Wholefoods & More
Womens health alternative treatments and alternative herbal medicine. Get Healthy & Stay Healthy Naturally. Order Online Now.
Search results
People also ask
Is black tea better than coffee?
Are coffee & tea healthy?
Does drinking black tea reduce depression risk?
L-theanine is also present, in lower concentrations, in black tea. There’s less research on the effects of coffee on stress, but researchers have found moderate to high amounts of caffeine...
- Overview
- Caffeine content
- Rich in antioxidants
- May increase energy levels
- Possible weight loss benefits
- Is one better than the other?
- The bottom line
Coffee and tea are among the world’s most popular beverages, with black tea being the most sought-after variety of the later, accounting for 78% of all tea production and consumption (1).
While the two provide similar health benefits, they have some differences.
Caffeine is the most studied and consumed stimulant in the world (2, 3).
Present in many common beverages, including coffee and tea, it’s known for both its beneficial and adverse effects on human health.
While the caffeine content can vary depending on brewing time, serving size, or preparation method, coffee can easily pack twice the caffeine as an equal serving of tea.
The amount of caffeine considered safe for human consumption is 400 mg per day. One 8-ounce cup (240 ml) of brewed coffee contains an average of 95 mg of caffeine, compared with 47 mg in the same serving of black tea (4, 5, 6).
Though scientists have primarily focused on coffee when researching the positive effects of caffeine, both drinks — despite containing differing amounts of this substance — can provide its associated health benefits.
Caffeine intake may reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases and improve athletic performance, mood, and mental alertness (7, 8, 9).
Antioxidants protect your body against free radical damage, which may help prevent the development of certain chronic diseases (25).
Both tea and coffee are loaded with antioxidants, primarily polyphenols, which contribute to their characteristic flavor and health-promoting properties (26, 27, 28, 29).
Many groups of polyphenols are present in tea and coffee.
Theaflavins, thearubigins, and catechins are the primary ones in black tea, while coffee is rich in flavonoids and chlorogenic acid (CGA) (30, 31).
A recent test-tube study discovered that theaflavins and thearubigins inhibited the growth of lung and colon cancer cells and ultimately killed them (32).
Studies in leukemia cells revealed similar results, suggesting that black tea may have cancer-protective properties, though more research is needed (33).
Coffee’s energy-boosting effect
The caffeine in coffee elevates your energy levels. Caffeine increases alertness and reduces fatigue by increasing dopamine levels and blocking adenosine (8, 47). Dopamine is the chemical messenger responsible for the jittery effect of coffee, as it increases your heart rate. It also affects your brain’s reward system, which adds to coffee’s addictive properties. On the other hand, adenosine has a sleep-promoting effect. Thus, by blocking it, caffeine reduces your feelings of tiredness. What’s more, coffee’s effect on your energy levels happens almost immediately. Once ingested, your body absorbs 99% of its caffeine within 45 minutes, but peak blood concentrations appear as early as 15 minutes after ingestion (48). This is why many people prefer a cup of coffee when they need an immediate energy boost.
Tea’s effect on energy
Though tea is lower in caffeine, it’s rich in L-theanine, a powerful antioxidant that also stimulates your brain (49, 50). Unlike caffeine, L-theanine may provide anti-stress effects by increasing your brain’s alpha waves, which help you calm down and relax (51). This counteracts the arousing effect of caffeine and gives you a relaxed but alert mental state without feeling drowsy. Studies have found that consuming L-theanine along with caffeine — as in tea — may help you maintain your alertness, focus, attention, and sharpness (52, 53). This combination may be the reason why tea gives you a soothing and more smooth energy boost than coffee. Summary Both coffee and tea increase your energy levels. However, coffee gives you an instant kick, while tea offers a smooth boost.
Due to its high caffeine concentration, coffee may help you lose weight.
Caffeine may increase the number of calories you burn by 3–13%, and maintain this effect for 3 hours after intake, translating into an extra 79–150 calories burned (54, 55, 56, 57).
Coffee has also been associated with fat-burning properties by inhibiting the production of fat cells. Some studies have attributed this effect to its chlorogenic acid content (58, 59).
A study in 455 people reported that regular coffee intake was linked to lower body fat tissue. Similar results were obtained in a review of 12 studies, suggesting that chlorogenic acid aids weight loss and fat metabolism in mice (60, 61).
On the other hand, tea polyphenols like theaflavin also seem to contribute to weight loss.
Theaflavins reportedly inhibit pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that plays a key role in fat metabolism (62).
Though coffee has been associated with multiple side effects, such as heart failure, increased heart rate, and high blood pressure, research shows that moderate consumption is safe (66).
Though their antioxidant compositions differ, coffee and black tea are both excellent sources of these important compounds, which may protect against various conditions, including heart disease and some forms of cancers.
Other health claims attributed to coffee include protection against Parkinson’s disease and a lowered risk of type 2 diabetes and liver cirrhosis. On the other hand, tea may protect against cavities, kidney stones, and arthritis (1).
Coffee has a higher caffeine content than tea, which may be good for those looking for an instant energy fix. However, it may cause anxiety and impaired sleep in sensitive people (8).
Also, due to caffeine’s effect on your brain, high coffee intake may result in dependence or addiction (67).
If you’re highly sensitive to caffeine, tea may be a better choice. It contains L-theanine, an amino acid with calming properties that may relax you while keeping you alert.
Coffee and black tea may aid weight loss and protect against certain chronic diseases via various metabolic processes.
Plus, the high caffeine content of coffee may give you a quick energy boost, whereas the combination of caffeine and L-theanine in black tea offers a more gradual increase in energy.
Sep 25, 2023 · Should you start your day with coffee or tea? Explore the key differences between them, including their caffeine content, antioxidants, side effects and more.
Jan 15, 2016 · Based purely on its composition, coffee should win hands down: a cup of tea has about half the dose (40 milligrams) of the stimulant caffeine that you would find in a standard cup of brewed...
Jun 17, 2024 · Experts currently recommend that adults keep their daily caffeine intake to less than 400 mg—about 4 cups of coffee or 8 cups of black tea.
Mar 13, 2023 · While coffee is frequently lauded for its ability to improve alertness and cognitive function, tea has long been regarded for its health-promoting properties. In this article, we’ll look at the evidence that suggests tea is better compared to coffee in terms of health benefits.
Jun 12, 2023 · Tea may be a better option if you’re sensitive to the effects of caffeine or looking for a calming beverage you can enjoy all day long, whereas coffee might be preferable before workouts or when you need a quick hit of caffeine.
Award Winning Loose Leaf Teas and Infusions Made by Tea Lovers. Luxury tea gift sets to buy online Free P&P on orders over £30
