Have you ever indulged in the age old argument of tea versus coffee? If you have, then you will know that people are extremely fond of both. We are here to lay down the pros and cons of both fan favorite drinks so that you can decide for yourselves!

• Caffeine content - caffeine content is something people are extremely conscious about and thus had to be on the top of our list for a fair comparison! It is well known that coffee has a higher caffeine content than tea per cup. The daily amount of caffeine which is safe for consumption is 400 mg per day and one cup of brewed coffee contains an average of 95 mg of caffeine, compared with 47 mg in the same serving of black tea. This means that one cup of coffee delivers twice the amount of caffeine compared to tea. Thus, if you have caffeine sensitivity or gastric issues because of caffeine, switching to tea is a better idea 

• Effect on sleep schedule - You might be wondering how does each drink affect your sleep schedule. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Surrey in the UK showed that people who drink coffee regularly tend to find it tougher to go to sleep at night while tea drinkers find it easier to doze off. This might be due to the higher caffeine  content in coffee. Tea is also known for its soothing properties and thus if you have trouble sleeping, a nice cup of chamomile tea might just do the trick.

• Antioxidants - It is well known how a cup of tea packs in a large amount of antioxidants which is extremely helpful in boosting metabolism, helping build immunity, relieve nausea, headaches and much more. While coffee has its benefits, in this battle, coffee loses out because of the antioxidants present in tea, especially green and white tea.

• Soothing - Comparing the two drinks to each other, tea takes the upper hand when it comes to its soothing properties. Tea helps in soothing the nerves which its counterpart, coffee, has a reputation of making the drinker hyper. The correct tea (click here to know more about teas that help you reduce stress) can help you destress!

• Energy - While both beverages serve as a ‘pick me up’ of sorts, simple as an energy booster, coffee wins this round. Coffee perks up the drinkers and makes them alert, The caffeine hit delivers a burst of energy that works great as a wakeup call for the body especially during sleepy mornings. Tea also energizes however the method is different. Considering the amount of caffeine in both the drinks is vastly different, tea boosts energy at a moderate level. This however helps to avoid a caffeine crash that happens when one consumes coffee.

• Variety - Tea and coffee are both beverages which have large amounts of variety. Coffee can be had hot or cold, with milk, without milk and in various different forms such as cappuccinos, espressos, lattes and so on. There is a wide variety of coffee beans and different roasts. Just like coffee, tea has multiple different varieties (click here to read about the different types of tea) Tea can also be had in multiple different ways, hot or cold, with or without milk and in trendy forms such as bubble tea. Tea and coffee also intersect in drinks such as the much loved chai tea latte. Thus, for both, there is much to choose from!

Thus, both drinks have their own benefits. Both are to some extent through preliminary research are thought to be good for heart health and various other health benefits are linked to them. Both have their pros and cons and when consumed in moderation are a wonderful addition to your diet. It mostly comes down to a personal choice of taste and preference unless you have a caffeine sensitivity. Enjoy both these delicious drinks and don’t forget to tell us which one you like more!