Comparing Coffee and Tea

By Damian Papworth

For hundreds of years people from countries all across the world have savored it both for its health properties and for its unique flavor. Tea has been a main part of people's diets in the eastern world as well as of places in the west, like Great Britain. Today it remains a main staple in the modern American diet, at least in part due to the versatility of its flavor properties.

Some types of tea are beloved because they serve as the ideal accompaniment to finger sandwiches and petit fours at a traditional afternoon garden tea party, while other types of tea are savored for their ability to help bring a sense of calm and rejuvenation after a difficult day. Some people choose to start their daily routine with a strong cup of Black tea, while others relax and unwind with a night cap of Chamomile Tea.

Tea comes in a variety of all-natural, herbal blends, many of which have been shown to possess great health properties. For example, many teas are rich in antioxidants, which help the body defend itself against free radicals in the atmosphere and against the potential onset of many forms of cancer. Green tea in particular is often cited as one of the single healthiest, most anti-oxidant rich natural products in the world. Many scientists cite its pervasive presence in the Japanese dietary regime as a major source of their population's lower rates of cancer and better overall health.

As scientists continue to discover more of the potential health benefits of drinking tea, they are also beginning to uncover many of the previously unknown health properties of tea's common competitor, coffee. Recently scientists have found that like many teas, coffee is extremely rich in antioxidants. Studies conducted in the past decade have, moreover, linked daily coffee drinking to a vast array of health benefits, including cancer prevention and memory preservation.

For decades coffee drinks have been enjoyed both for their potent caffeine properties and for the unique, bold flavour of the black coffee bean. Many people enjoy sharing a good cup of cappuccino with an old group of friends, while others savor their daily break from work with a cup of dark, bold espresso. Thus whether it is enjoyed for its delicious, smooth flavor or for the rejuvenation it provides, coffee is beloved by thousands of Americans.

Coffee drinks, like tea, come in a vast array of blends and flavors. And while the two drinks certainly possess many similarities, coffee is unique in that the beans used to brew it will reflect the climate and soil properties of their origins. The same type of coffee bean grown in one particular climate and soil will have a very different taste than that same bean grown somewhere on the other side of the globe.

Another significant difference between tea and coffee is that coffee is more often enjoyed with more additives and condiments. While tea is typically savored with just a bit of sugar or milk, coffee drinks often come with a vast array of additives, such as different types of milk, sweetener, or syrup. Thus while both tea and pure coffee have many nutritional properties, many coffee drinks provide a less healthy alternative to tea because they are often in calories, fat, and sugar.

Both coffee and tea are enjoyed for their nutritional and taste properties, yet any lover of either beverage can tell you that the two are very different beverages. - 17274

About the Author:

Damian Papworth adores making coffee with one cup coffee makers for a quick morning beverage. When he has people over for dinner though, his 8 cup coffee maker comes in real handy.