What is the healthier alternative:
Coffee or tea
You’ve set the table with cups and treats and your guests take their seats, full of anticipation. “Coffee or tea?”, you ask. This often starts a lively discussion about the pros and cons of various hot drinks. But which one is in fact the healthier alternative: tea or coffee?
A comparison of substances
The effect of tea and coffee on the body is complex as many different substances come into play. Die-hard coffee drinkers swear by the effect of caffeine. Caffeine is an alkaloid with a stimulating effect. Scientists have discovered that caffeine may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as it stabilises the blood-cerebral barrier that can be damaged by cholesterol.
Caffeine is not only found in coffee, but also in tea. On average, a coffee bean contains two per cent caffeine, a tea leaf one to five per cent. The amount of caffeine in a hot drink also depends on its preparation method. To make coffee, a larger amount of coffee beans is needed. Tea makes do with comparatively fewer tea leaves. This is why coffee has a higher caffeine content.
100 ml of coffee brewed by hand contains about 40 to 66 mg of the substance.
Popular hot drinks such as latte macchiato or cappuccino have about half of that. The caffeine frontrunner is espresso – it contains roughly twice as much caffeine as hand-brewed filter coffee. The caffeine content in tea is significantly lower, about 20 to 50 mg per 100 ml.
Caffeine works quicker when drinking a cup of coffee, whereas the effect lasts longer with tea. The alkaloid in tea combines with tannins, therefore the body absorbs it slower.
Tea contains other substances that can have positive health benefits: for instance, fluoride protects the teeth. Green tea contains secondary plant substances that can reduce the risk of cancer and angiopathy, lower blood pressure and inhibit infections. To conclude: coffee or tea – each hot drink has a specific effect on the body.
The healthier preparation method
How healthy tea or coffee actually is also depends on the preparation method. In order for tea to unfold its preventative effect against cancer and angiopathy, it has to be consumed without milk. Otherwise, the casein in milk will prevent the body from absorbing the active substances.
The length of time tea is brewed also plays a part. If the tea leaves only remain in the water for a short amount of time, then fewer tannins are released. Without tannins, caffeine can be absorbed much quicker and the tea has a more stimulating effect.
If the tea is brewed for a longer amount of time, it has a more calming effect. Black tea is an excellent pick-me-up as it has fewer tannins than green tea.
The healthiest way to prepare coffee is the classic manual brewing method. Coffee machines force water through the coffee beans under high pressure and high temperatures. This can release bitter compounds, acids and alkaloids. But when coffee is brewed gently by hand, these substances remain in the coffee beans, making coffee easier to digest.
The classic manual brewing method –
with our Coffee Passion collection
Coffee or tea
You can lose weight and stay fit with a balanced diet and moderate exercise. Both coffee and tea can help with weight loss.
However, coffee should be drunk black. It burns calories, has a satiating effect and boosts digestion. Green tea has a similar effect.
Obviously tea should be drunk without sugar or milk if you’re on a diet. It is better suited for weight loss as it contains less caffeine and, therefore, can be consumed in larger quantities.
How much coffee can I drink per day?
People with a sensitive stomach or high blood pressure should refrain from coffee. The bitter compounds in coffee can aggravate the stomach, while caffeine can increase blood pressure. No more than 400 mg caffeine should be drunk per day – that makes roughly four to five cups of filter coffee. Cappuccino can be consumed more often as this hot drink contains less caffeine. But it’s the opposite with espresso: you shouldn’t drink more than three to four small cups of this pick-me-up a day.
Incidentally, you don’t need masses of coffee to gain from its health benefits: as little as 100 mg of caffeine will suffice. This is equivalent to one to two cups of coffee – the perfect quantity to enjoy an afternoon with friends.
How much tea can I drink per day?
The same principle applies to tea as it does to other foodstuffs: it’s all about finding the right balance.
You can drink unsweetened fruit tea to your heart’s content. But it’s a different story with herbal tea: after all, it's not just the flavour that makes many herbs popular, but also their benefits as a medicinal herb. Up to three cups of herbal tea a day are considered to be harmless.
If in doubt, tea drinkers should talk to their doctor or a pharmacist. When it comes to medicinal teas, the manufacturer’s guidelines have to be complied with. Certain herbal teas can have a laxative effect if drank in excess. This includes teas with aniseed, hibiscus or fennel.
Due to their caffeine content, there is a limit on how much green and black tea you should drink. A maximum of five to six cups a day is recommended.
What is the healthier alternative: Coffee or tea
You’ve set the table with cups and treats and your guests take their seats, full of anticipation. “Coffee or tea?”, you ask. This often starts a lively discussion about the pros and cons of various hot drinks. But which one is in fact the healthier alternative: tea or coffee?
A comparison of substances
The effect of tea and coffee on the body is complex as many different substances come into play. Die-hard coffee drinkers swear by the effect of caffeine. Caffeine is an alkaloid with a stimulating effect. Scientists have discovered that caffeine may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as it stabilises the blood-cerebral barrier that can be damaged by cholesterol.
Caffeine is not only found in coffee, but also in tea. On average, a coffee bean contains two per cent caffeine, a tea leaf one to five per cent. The amount of caffeine in a hot drink also depends on its preparation method. To make coffee, a larger amount of coffee beans is needed. Tea makes do with comparatively fewer tea leaves. This is why coffee has a higher caffeine content.
100 ml of coffee brewed by hand contains about 40 to 66 mg of the substance.
Popular hot drinks such as latte macchiato or cappuccino have about half of that. The caffeine frontrunner is espresso – it contains roughly twice as much caffeine as hand-brewed filter coffee. The caffeine content in tea is significantly lower, about 20 to 50 mg per 100 ml.
Caffeine works quicker when drinking a cup of coffee, whereas the effect lasts longer with tea. The alkaloid in tea combines with tannins, therefore the body absorbs it slower.
Tea contains other substances that can have positive health benefits: for instance, fluoride protects the teeth. Green tea contains secondary plant substances that can reduce the risk of cancer and angiopathy, lower blood pressure and inhibit infections. To conclude: coffee or tea – each hot drink has a specific effect on the body.
The healthier preparation method
How healthy tea or coffee actually is also depends on the preparation method. In order for tea to unfold its preventative effect against cancer and angiopathy, it has to be consumed without milk. Otherwise, the casein in milk will prevent the body from absorbing the active substances.
The length of time tea is brewed also plays a part. If the tea leaves only remain in the water for a short amount of time, then fewer tannins are released. Without tannins, caffeine can be absorbed much quicker and the tea has a more stimulating effect.
If the tea is brewed for a longer amount of time, it has a more calming effect. Black tea is an excellent pick-me-up as it has fewer tannins than green tea.
The healthiest way to prepare coffee is the classic manual brewing method. Coffee machines force water through the coffee beans under high pressure and high temperatures. This can release bitter compounds, acids and alkaloids. But when coffee is brewed gently by hand, these substances remain in the coffee beans, making coffee easier to digest.
The classic manual brewing method – with our Coffee Passion collection
What helps with weight loss: Coffee or tea
You can lose weight and stay fit with a balanced diet and moderate exercise. Both coffee and tea can help with weight loss.
However, coffee should be drunk black. It burns calories, has a satiating effect and boosts digestion. Green tea has a similar effect.
Obviously tea should be drunk without sugar or milk if you’re on a diet. It is better suited for weight loss as it contains less caffeine and, therefore, can be consumed in larger quantities.
How much coffee can I drink per day?
People with a sensitive stomach or high blood pressure should refrain from coffee. The bitter compounds in coffee can aggravate the stomach, while caffeine can increase blood pressure. No more than 400 mg caffeine should be drunk per day – that makes roughly four to five cups of filter coffee. Cappuccino can be consumed more often as this hot drink contains less caffeine. But it’s the opposite with espresso: you shouldn’t drink more than three to four small cups of this pick-me-up a day.
Incidentally, you don’t need masses of coffee to gain from its health benefits: as little as 100 mg of caffeine will suffice. This is equivalent to one to two cups of coffee – the perfect quantity to enjoy an afternoon with friends.
How much tea can I drink per day?
The same principle applies to tea as it does to other foodstuffs: it’s all about finding the right balance.
You can drink unsweetened fruit tea to your heart’s content. But it’s a different story with herbal tea: after all, it's not just the flavour that makes many herbs popular, but also their benefits as a medicinal herb. Up to three cups of herbal tea a day are considered to be harmless.
If in doubt, tea drinkers should talk to their doctor or a pharmacist. When it comes to medicinal teas, the manufacturer’s guidelines have to be complied with. Certain herbal teas can have a laxative effect if drank in excess. This includes teas with aniseed, hibiscus or fennel.
Due to their caffeine content, there is a limit on how much green and black tea you should drink. A maximum of five to six cups a day is recommended.
