When it comes to people’s morning routines, after a tall glass of ice water, nearly everyone starts their day with one of two drinks: coffee or caffeine. Both have benefits. Both taste completely different (unless you load them up with sugar, then they’re a dessert drink anyway). Whether you’ve been a coffee drinker all your life or you love your morning matcha, here’s a breakdown of each drink and how they can help your health and energy levels.
Coffee
Arguably the two most popular sources of caffeine in the world are coffee and green tea. The cliches about coffee are endless… “Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee.”…”Life Happens, Coffee Helps…” and on and on. There are coffee shops, coffee bars, coffee-of-the-month clubs. People drink it french pressed and cold brewed. They drink espressos, cappuccinos and Americanos. Coffee is so infused in our culture that nearly every office, airline and even body shop offers it for free on site. Why? Because people need their caffeine.
Tale of the Tape: Coffee (Black)
Antioxidants:
- Polyphenols
- Hydrocinnamic Acids
Caffeine:
- 95mg in an 8 oz. cup (on average)
Green Tea
After thousands of years of consumption throughout Asia, green tea is finally have its moment in the Western world. Whether you’re into matcha, sencha, powdered, brewed or bagged, green tea is finally in the spotlight, offering a lighter, crisper alternative to coffee. Part of the reason for its rise is the classic earthy, refreshing taste, while perhaps a more important reason is that it is a nutritional powerhouse.
Green tea contains polyphenols, including the catechin epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that provides antioxidant protection against cell damage. Green tea has also been shown to enhance brain function and help fight cancer and heart disease. Yes, it contains caffeine, but not as much as coffee or even black tea.
Tale of the Tape: Green Tea
Antioxidants:
- Polyphenols
- Catechins
- EGCG
Also Contains:
- L-Theanine (amino acid)
Caffeine:
- 25mg in an 8 oz. cup (on average)
