Original GlobalMD global doctors organization
Do you start your day with a cup of rich and fragrant coffee? Or do you prefer to start the day with a warm and soft cup of tea?
Indeed, everyone has different preferences. Scientists’ research has confirmed that drinking coffee or tea regularly can bring health benefits. Specific to personal health benefits, if coffee and tea "fight", who will you decide as the winner? Look at the following studies, and you may have new findings and different feelings. Pay attention to details.
Reading abstracts
1. Source of dietary fiber
Normal adults need to get about 25 grams of dietary fiber from their diet every day to maintain their best health. The fiber content of a cup of coffee is ~ 1.8g (depending on filtered coffee, espresso or instant coffee).
Drinking a cup of tea can hardly meet your daily dietary fiber requirements unless you like to chew tea.
Step 2 focus on:
Do you need to complete some intensive study or work? For example, studying for a fateful exam? Caffeine in coffee and tea will help you concentrate.
However, caffeine can improve attention and reaction time, and too much caffeine may lead to nervousness and overexcitation, which will eventually damage your mental state and performance.
According to the research data of Mayo Clinic experts, the caffeine content in coffee and tea varies greatly due to various methods. An 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine (espresso and instant coffee are less), in contrast, an 8-ounce cup of black tea contains about 50 mg of caffeine.
Which is better, coffee or tea?
A comparative experiment invited participants to drink four cups of coffee or tea (the same amount) all day. The results show that the two drinks have similar effects on alertness and cognitive ability. However, tea has a great advantage: it can help you improve your performance without disturbing your sleep quality.
3. Beneficial effects on intestinal microflora
Coffee and tea both contain a plant compound polyphenol, which has many health benefits. The research results of British scientists show that polyphenols can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and it is a "rocket fuel" that constitutes a beneficial microbial community in the intestine. The study also confirmed that the polyphenol content in coffee was significantly higher than that in green tea. The polyphenol content of green tea is higher than that of black tea.
4. Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
According to a large number of population health studies, it seems that both coffee and tea are good for the heart and can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke. But these studies are not the final conclusion, just like exercising more or eating a healthier diet, which is better, it is difficult to judge "winning or losing".
A large number of clinical research results show that drinking tea regularly, especially green tea, will better improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Drinking decaffeinated coffee can also reduce the risk of heart disease.
This seems to indicate that the benefits of drinking coffee or tea to the cardiovascular system may come from other compounds besides caffeine. In any case, the health benefits are clear.
5. Reduce the risk of cancer
Many studies have confirmed that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of cancer, including a meta-analysis of 59 clinical trials. The results show that coffee drinkers have a 13% lower risk of cancer compared with people who rarely or never drink coffee. The conclusion is that people who drink coffee regularly can prevent colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, endometrial cancer, oral cancer and breast cancer, as shown below:
The American Cancer Society concluded that coffee contains hundreds of bioactive compounds, some of which have been proved to reduce inflammation, prevent cell damage and regulate genes involved in DNA repair. Whether it is cancer, obesity, heart disease or inflammation, drinking coffee is beneficial to health, even if it is not a panacea.
Up to now, a meta-analysis of 113 studies on the relationship between tea drinking and cancer prevention shows that "there is almost no evidence to support the relationship between tea drinking and cancer risk reduction".
There are more detailed explanations, including the following questions:
6. Reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A meta-analysis of more than 1 million people found that people who drink four cups of coffee a day have a 25% lower risk of diabetes than those who drink little or no coffee every day. People who drink four cups of decaffeinated coffee a day have a 20% lower risk. Coffee is very beneficial for reducing the risk of diabetes. So, how about tea?
7. Relieve mental stress
If you want to relieve some stress, tea is the best choice. When people are stressed, drinking green tea or black tea can make them more relaxed and lower the level of cortisol (stress hormone).
To make a long story short, relax? A cup of tea is the best choice.
8. Possible potential impact on longevity
There is no definite conclusion, but observation and research show that people who drink coffee or tea often live longer than those who don’t drink these two drinks.
Who is the final winner?
In terms of your personal health benefits, who do you judge to win?
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