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The Great Debate: Coffee vs. Tea

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Which Side Are You On

Which is better: coffee or tea? One might ask, "Better for what?" For some, there is nothing that can be substituted for the wonderful aroma and the first sip of a morning cup of coffee.

For others, the first beverage they reach for when they get home from a long day is a cup of soothing, refreshing tea.

In the summer, both coffee and tea lovers have delicious iced versions; there are caffeinated and decaffeinated versions of both; and both come in an endless variety of flavors. So, which is better?

Pick your poison.

Which drink do you prefer?

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Coffee!

RecordLady says:

I enjoy both but have drank more coffee than tea.

Posted January 11, 2012

rauspitz says:

When it's all said, done and consumed I'm a coffee kind of guy.

Posted December 27, 2011

ouriloilo says:

I always prefer coffee. tea is tasteless.

Posted November 06, 2011

janices7 says:

I've always been a big fan of coffee. I love the aroma and the taste. Tea is just too bitter for me and for some reason, I've just never like it.

Posted October 17, 2011

Tea!

DessertLover says:

I feel like tea is better for you, but either way I just enjoy drinking it!

Posted January 11, 2012

 

Which is more popular?

See the numbers

Image by Raymond Brown on FlickrIf I wanted to find out which was better in regards to the true consumption count, we could answer the question of which beverage is better by popularity.

As a whole, coffee drinkers spend about $18 billion on coffee; over half of us drink coffee every day, and another quarter drinks it occasionally.

Entire empires, like Starbucks, have been built on the back of coffee beans.

We might have trouble getting our recommended 8 glasses of water, but we have no trouble pouring a third or fourth cup of coffee.

All About Tea

The second most consumed drink in the U.S.

Image by Like_the_Grand_Canyon on FlickrDid you know that tea is the second most consumed drink in the U.S.? It's second, only to water, but on an average day, only 20 percent of Americans have a cup of it.

A study by the American Institute for Cancer Research found that green tea, one of the most beneficial teas, health-wise, was the least popular non-alcoholic drink in the US. Yet tea gift baskets are a very popular gift for their health benefits and just for tea enthusiasts in general.

Do you drink tea? Take the poll below and weigh in about why you enjoy sipping a cup of tea.

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The Benefits of Tea

Why is tea good for you?

Image by Andrea_44 on FlickrBoth drinks have their devotees, but popular doesn't mean better. We typically associate tea with health, and indeed, a myriad of health benefits are granted to tea drinkers.

Tea is full of antioxidants, particularly green tea. Tea is packed with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, which fight disease.

Tea contains about as many flavonoids as fruits or veggies. In addition, green tea can lower the risk of breast cancer and reduce death rates from heart disease. Black and green teas can lower the risk for ovarian cancer.

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The Down-Side of Tea

When is it not as good for you?

Image by Vassilis Online on FlickrOne of the drawbacks of teas you buy in the grocery store is that they are made of roots, flowers, stems, herbs, and spices. In herbal teas, there are typically not tea leaves at all. To ensure you get the benefits from flavonoids, make sure you are getting tea from leaves. Remember this next time you throw a party and give out tea favors to your guests!

Another benefit: hot brewing green or black tea releases phytochemicals.

Pros & Cons

Of Coffee & Tea

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More About Tea and Coffee

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Image by Shandi-lee on Flickr

The Benefits of Coffee

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Image by vmiramontes on FlickrCoffee was regarded as the unhealthy choice until only recently when research emerged showing that coffee could reduce the risk of liver and colon cancers, Parkinson's disease, gout, and type II diabetes.

It is not certain whether coffee is hard on the heart of some people, but one to two cups seems to be fine. Coffee has become another popular item for gifts, as in coffee gift baskets. People love coffee and tea, there's no doubt about it!

Caffeine can provide a pick-me-up, but as a drug, it can also cause jittery feelings and irritability in some people. It should also be noted that green and black teas are caffeinated, but in lower amounts than coffee. A cup of black tea has about half the caffeine of a cup of coffee.

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Low Calories to Intense Calories

Cut the Cream!

Image by tvol on FlickrBoth tea and coffee are non-caloric beverages that fit into virtually any diet plan. But we tend to dress them, especially coffee, up with sweeteners, cream, milk, flavor shots, whipped cream, etc.

In that case, a simple cup of tea is much, much better than a dressed up cup of coffee. It takes the coffee and turns it into a glorified cup of sugar!

Desserts to Pair with Coffee or Tea

Who says you have to drink it alone?

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Coffee vs Tea

The Great Taste Comparison

Image by Zazzle.comWhich tastes better? This depends on who you ask! Some people can't tolerate caffeine and hate the taste of coffee. Other people find tea too diluted and need the strong taste of coffee. Others find incredible pleasure in the subtle tastes of tea, you could argue forever about which tastes better and arrive nowhere. It really just depends on the person. And, of course, there is nothing to say that one person can't enjoy both coffee and tea. For these people, experts recommend having a cup or two of coffee in the morning and then enjoying tea throughout the day.

Studies have shown that holding a hot mug in both hands can produce feelings of contentment; whether it is coffee or tea in their personalized mug doesn't really matter as long as you are enjoying it.

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Songs about Coffee

If you've ever been inspired by music, you know that there are many ways that music can guide us. So it is fitting then, to share with you, a few of the many songs written about coffee. Enjoy!

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