I have to admit, coffee and tea are not my favorite drink choices. I have never enjoyed the taste of either and still really don't. I will occasionally have a cup of coffee if I am having a rough morning, but that is pretty much it. I do try and have a cup of green tea everyday however. I, again, don't really enjoy the taste of it, but there is so much evidence out there on the health benefits of tea that I feel it should be part of my daily routine. I know most people will choose coffee over tea, but you may want to cut back on your morning joe a bit. Here is some information that may help you change your mind from a team of scientist from the US and UK.
Researchers used data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, a large-scale, long-term study of health and fitness. Researchers included 43,727 subjects in their coffee-mortality investigation, men and women ranging in age from 20-87. Here are the main findings:
- Men who drank more than 28 cups of coffee per week (4-8oz cups per day) had a 21% increased risk of all-cause mortality.
- Men under 55 who drank more than 28 cups per week had a 56% increased risk of mortality.
- Women under the age of 55 saw a 113% increase in mortality risk.
While yes there are health benefits to coffee most people highly over consume it. Too much of a good thing turns bad here.
So if you don't currently drink tea you may want to give it a try. In the October 2013 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there were numerous studies looking at the healthy benefits of tea consumption. I have summarized their findings with these 6 reasons below:
- Regular tea consumption may reduce the risk of stroke.
- Tea might protect against the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis.
- Tea can help improve alertness, attention, mood, creativity, and work performance.
- Catachin- and caffeine- rich teas such as green, oolong, and white teas enhance energy expenditure and increase fat burning.
- Some studies are showing green and black tea may help prevent certain cancers and prevent lesions from becoming malignant tumors.
- Tea can help prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.
- Tea is loaded with antioxidants.
These are just a few of the very significant reasons why you might want to try some green, black, white, or oolong tea in the mornings. If you love coffee you don't have to give it up, just think about subbing a day or two each week with tea.
Cheers.
Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
