Water. Tea. Coffee. And you have the three most common drinks in every home.
Our concern is not why people drink a lot of coffee or green tea, but a review of one versus the other. But they both have lots of similarities.
People love green tea and coffee because of their health benefits. Coffee and green tea contain a substantial amount of caffeine; although Coffee has that in greater abundance, people rarely drink them just for caffeine. Green tea and coffee are known to be highly antioxidant, thereby boosting metabolism and weight loss.
A lot of people have improved several functions in their body, including blood flow, by drinking green tea and coffee. Perhaps you want to try out a drink that will boost your health, and you want to choose between coffee and green tea; we have packaged a review comparing both, especially regarding caffeine content, disadvantages, preparations, and taste.
So, depending on what you want in your drink, you may have a change of heart after going through this green tea vs. coffee review. We know so many people are addicted to either. But you may need to consider the benefits of the other.
However, before we go on, our intention is not to alter your breakfast beverage but to offer you more information on the two. So, grab your cup, and let’s dive in.
Green Tea vs. Coffee: An overview.
Green tea is one of the most commonly consumed beverages worldwide, and it is made by steaming Camellia sinensis leaves (also known as the Tea plant) slightly.
Camellia sinensis is a species that belongs to the Theaceae family. Theaceae leaves are commonly used to produce tea and are known locally as the tea plant and, in some cases, tea tree.
Why is green tea trendy? Well, you guessed right. Its health benefits and taste. Because it contains antioxidant and metabolism-enhancing compounds known as catechins, green tea has been consumed for a long time by those who want to keep an ideal weight and fight illnesses, including cancer.
Moreover, it doesn’t contain any calories in its natural state and has no fats, carbohydrates, or protein. It is mainly a water-based drink, so, consuming it will not only improve your health, it won’t give you any additional weight concerns. However, it has caffeine content, which we will discuss later on.
Coffee, meanwhile, is a drink made from roasted and ground coffee beans. The most popular species of coffee used is Coffee arabica, and that is due to the exceptional flavors it contains and the unique aroma it has.
Also, coffee is famous because it has caffeine and works well for those that need to stimulate the central nervous system. Coffee has great taste, and its flavor is excellent for kick-starting the day in many homes.
However, just like green tea, coffee has many health benefits. Besides working well to increase mental alertness, coffee is also known to help fight diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Because it aids mental alertness, coffee is essential in mitigating the effects of dementia and is excellent for improving memory.
Coffee also contains no calories or fats, so it is ideal for weight loss.
Parts of the plant used.
Green tea, as noted earlier, is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, also known as the Tea plant. It is so-called because they contain a lot of chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for the green color of plants.
They retain much of the chlorophyll because they are preserved almost immediately after being plucked. Their freshness also allows them to keep much of their antioxidants, giving them more significant health benefits.
Coffee, meanwhile, is made by roasting and grinding beans produced from the coffee tree, a tropical evergreen shrub. Coffee seeds are harvested after about 7 to 11 months and roasted to varying degrees in darkness to determine the flavor and taste.
The two most common species that are used for coffee are the Arabica (Coffee arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora).
So, green tea involves using boiled leaves to extract the contents, while coffee uses roasted and ground seeds to extract the flavor.
Caffeine in green tea vs. coffee
Before we consider the caffeine content in green tea and coffee, let’s look at the benefits of caffeine.
Caffeine benefits include greater mental alertness, increased energy levels, and sensitivity. Also, it improves memory, improves mood, and improves overall performance. Caffeine is also known to prevent dementia and other degenerative diseases.
That’s why many people love to begin their day with a hit of caffeine. Every day, the recommended amount of caffeine required in the body is about 400 mg for adults.
A lot of people think of caffeine when they hear the word coffee. They’re that synonymous. However, does that mean that green tea has no caffeine? Not at all.
But if you need caffeine, you should prefer a cup of coffee to green tea. That’s because a cup of coffee contains three times the amount of coffee found in green tea. A cup of green tea has roughly 30 mg of caffeine, while a cup of coffee contains about 95 mg.
Interestingly, that’s why some people prefer green tea. They suggest that it contains just the perfect amount of coffee required and that coffee may supply just more than is needed. That is not always true.
The caffeine requirements of individuals differ. After a cup of coffee, some people may have trouble sleeping while others may not. If you’re a coffee lover but have had problems sleeping recently, you may want to consider trying green tea for a change. And if your caffeine intake needs to be boosted, and you are a lover of green tea, maybe you should consider coffee.
Health Benefits
Both green tea and coffee have similar health benefits. We already know of the importance of caffeine to the body, although excessive intake could be counterproductive, and some people are allergic to caffeine.
However, green tea and coffee’s most important health benefit is their ability to shed excess weight from the body and the antioxidants they contain. Before we talk about antioxidants and how they can help prevent cancer, let’s look at their role in weight loss.
First, both green tea and coffee do not contain any fats. The antioxidants in green tea and coffee can reduce the hunger-regulating hormones in the body, reduce insulin, and blood cholesterol. In addition, while coffee contains very few calories, green tea is virtually calorie-free.
By increasing the rate of metabolism, green tea and coffee lead to a greater breakdown of fat in the body, thereby keeping the body fitter and the muscles leaner.
Coffee and green tea also contain substances that burn more calories in the body while reducing the effect of hunger-inducing hormones.
Antioxidants are powerful substances that help prevent damage to cells in the body by free radicals produced in the body due to environmental or harmful conditions. This is the basis of cancerous growth in the body, and antioxidants can help slow down their spread. That is why any food that contains antioxidants is referred to as cancer-fighting.
Green tea and coffee contain abundant antioxidants. The group of antioxidants most prominent in green tea and coffee are known as polyphenols. The polyphenol found in green tea is known as epigallocatechin gallate, while chlorogenic acid is the common polyphenol in coffee.
The antioxidant content in green tea and coffee is relatively high and consuming them has a neutralizing effect against oxidation that causes aging and stress in the body. Both are also known to limit the growth of tumors or their spread in the body. Although research suggests the two polyphenols address different types of cancerous growths, both are known to limit or even prevent the spread of tumors.
Other health benefits of coffee and green tea include a reduction in the tendency to develop some diseases such as stroke and high blood pressure. Green tea and coffee help in the proper functioning of the heart and are also known to improve the ability to stay alert for longer. It also enhances overall wellness and improves blood flow.
So we have looked at some of the health benefits of green tea and coffee. But does it have any side effects? You guessed right. It does.
Potential downfalls
The benefits of coffee and green tea are so numerous. So, what could go wrong?
Well; our simple answer is caffeine. We noted earlier that the recommended amount of caffeine required for the body is about 400 mg.
The danger of taking excess (>400mg) is that you risk anxiety, panic disorder, insomnia, and caffeine dependence. When this happens, the body may begin to show adverse signs and, if left unchecked, may cause severe problems to the brain and, in extreme cases, may even cause death.
You must never forget that caffeine is essentially a drug, and abuse of drugs could be fatal.
Coffee contains oils, which may also increase cholesterol when consumed in excess or when it is not filtered correctly. Green tea has no such problems.
Finally, consuming green tea or coffee with sweeteners could increase the risk of weight gain or even diabetes.
Preparation and variations
We need not go into a lesson on preparing green tea and coffee. Indeed, green tea is still a bit straightforward in method, but there are a thousand and one ways of preparing coffee.
However, we’ll tell you the best way of preparing both to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks.
Let’s start with coffee. Coffee contains a lot of oil which, as we said earlier, could add to the blood’s cholesterol. That’s why we recommend always using a paper filter when making your coffee. To prepare coffee, you should have your ground coffee ready, bring your water to boil, and use a paper filter to reduce the amount of oil in the coffee.
For green tea, try not to bring the water to boil, as boiling water could cause a bitter taste in the tea. Once it reaches 80°-85°C, then it’s ok. You may need a thermometer to ascertain the temperature. Pour the hot water into your mug, and then add the tea leaves to the water. Steep the tea until the taste is just right for you.
Additional tips for coffee and green tea would include limiting the use of sweeteners, and if you must, rather use natural choices like dried fruits; adding lemon, ginger, and cinnamon; and using skimmed instead of full fat/cream milk. This way, you will enjoy the health benefits of your drink better.
Which one is better for me?
Now, we have reached that point where we make a choice. To begin with, both are great choices with excellent health benefits if taken appropriately.
However, the first thing to consider is what your needs are. If you follow the required recommendations, you should consider coffee if you need a healthy dose of caffeine. However, if you want the health benefits without any caffeine, you may want to go for green tea.
Coffee also has the risk of higher calories and oils, while green tea has none. However, there’s a way out. If you can filter your coffee and reduce the number of sweeteners you use, you may find coffee’s benefits more than green tea’s.
For one, coffee has many flavors and a greater aroma and has been linked with greater brain functionality. Coffee is also known to contain more energy-boosting and hunger-reducing properties. That’s why if you know how to take the right amount of both, the benefits of coffee slightly outweigh that of green tea. However, the ultimate choice remains yours.
Conclusion
We have reviewed two great beneficial drinks and their health benefits and pitfalls. Whatever your choice, you can be sure that a cup of green tea or coffee daily will boost your health and keep you on top of your game.
If you already have a favorite, you now know more about it. If you want to switch, you are welcome. However, both of them are winners in this green tea vs. coffee matchup!
Reference articles
Last Updated on October 5, 2022 by Ashok Parmar
