People like to drink certain beverages because of the benefits they can offer. Coffee and tea are two drinks that have been made highly-famous by different communities around the globe. Numerous coffee flavors and tea leaves exist in the world, which can make each drinking experience a unique offering. With that notion in mind, it begs to the question, “How much caffeine is in tea versus coffee?”.
What is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a naturally-occurring chemical found in beans, fruits, and leaves of several plants including coffee and tea. Consuming it delivers a stimulating boost to the body’s central nervous system to help heighten alertness and combat fatigue. The consumption of caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine, which is a neurotransmitter growing throughout the day. You’ll have a significant amount of adenosine by the end of the day to help you get ready for sleep.
Certain people may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others. Decaffeinated versions of coffee and tea exist, but these beverages may not offer as much energy-boosting effects as their caffeinated counterparts. Learn more about this topic by checking out this article about caffeine in tea & coffee.
Drinking Coffee
Visit cafés, and you’re bound to see a majority of customers drinking coffee in comparison with other beverages from the shop’s menu. Several reasons entail the many benefits of drinking coffee.
You can also buy a coffee maker and brew your drink at home. Coffee Dorks has a nice comparison tool for best single serve makers.
Benefits
One benefit of drinking coffee before an exercise routine may help you gain that extra push of energy to break through fitness plateaus. Caffeine consumption may help in enhancing fitness endurance and performance. It may even lead to other advantages like improved weight loss because of the additional time you’ll put into your exercise regimen.
Caffeine Content
Caffeine content in coffee is higher than tea. Since caffeine is a stimulant, drinkers sensitive to the chemical will feel overstimulated. Individuals with high blood pressure should limit coffee intake because the caffeine in the beverage can cause a short yet dramatic spike in blood pressure.
Healthy Option
If you want your coffee to remain a healthy beverage, stay away from adding sugar and other additives. Fancy coffee drinks come with different milk, syrups, and whipped cream to significantly add taste and calories. Add flavor to coffee the healthy way by adding a small amount of plant-based milk. You may also use cinnamon over sugar, if you want to add a bit of sweetness to the brew. CoffeeVerdict has published a list of great resources to drink coffee responsibly
Drinking Tea
Numerous people equate tea consumption with a long list of health benefits. Tea made from natural tea leaves contains a healthy amount of antioxidants to help fight inflammation.
Benefits
Aside from the anti-inflammation properties of tea leaves, it may also:
- Help in the prevention of blood vessels from clotting or hardening while inside the bloodstream.
- Improve bone density while lowering the rate of bone loss.
Drinking tea, however, stains the teeth more than coffee. Tea drinkers who want to preserve their pearly whites may have difficulties in retaining their white smiles. This beverage also has tannins which are antioxidants that interfere with the absorption of iron from plant-based foods.
Caffeine Content
Tea has a lesser caffeine content than coffee, which makes it an ideal choice for drinkers sensitive to the chemical.
Healthy Option
Avoid or limit the use of any sweetener when preparing tea to preserve its functional components. If you want to add a hint of sweetness, opt for mixing a 100% natural fruit juice to the beverage.
The Comparison
Coffee and tea have different brews and flavors to cater to varying palates. These concoctions hold different values for their caffeine content. For instance, the average caffeine content in brewed coffee is between 95 to 165 mg for an 8 oz cup. A decaffeinated brewed coffee, on the other hand, only has an average of 2 to 5 mg of caffeine for the same volume.
Regular tea drinkers will consume less caffeine than coffee lovers. Here’s why:
- An 8 oz cup of brewed black tea has 25 to 48 mg of caffeine.
- The decaffeinated version of an 8 oz brewed black tea has roughly the same amount of caffeine as brewed coffee.
- An 8 oz cup of brewed green tea offers the body about 25 to 29 mg of the chemical.
The Bottom Line
If you’re still wondering, “Does tea have more caffeine than coffee,” the answer is no. Tea has its distinct list of benefits, and that notion is the same regarding the consumption of coffee. Stick with your preference but take the drawbacks of drinking either beverage into account.