Tea and coffee are the most popular worldwide beverages, after water. They are brimming with beneficial ingredients that can significantly affect health. Over half of the American population drinks coffee daily, according to The Coffee Research Institute. The Tea Association reports that tea can be found in 80% of American homes. Fortunately, coffee and tea offer a wide range of health benefits from cancer prevention to weight loss.
Diabetes Prevention
Diabetes is a debilitating disease that prevents proper assimilation of sugars and can affect anyone. Coffee contains chemicals that lower blood sugar and help prevent the formation of diabetes. Coffee drinkers are half as likely to get diabetes, according to Harvard Medical School. In addition, coffee and tea raise metabolic rates, which also helps stave off diabetes.
Cardiovascular Health
Tea and coffee contain large amounts of antioxidants, which fight damaging free radicals in the body. Free radicals break down the body's cells, opening the door to disease and aging. Coffee is America's number one source of antioxidants, according to Joe Vinson, Scranton University researcher. Antioxidants can have beneficial impacts on blood vessel function, reducing the risk of heart attacks and increasing general cardiovascular health.
Stroke Prevention
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in America. Women who drink coffee have a lower risk of stroke, according to the American Heart Association. The antioxidants in coffee decrease inflammation and may help ward off strokes. Tea has high levels of flavanoids, a particularly powerful antioxidant, and drinking tea also may protect against stroke, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine's investigations.
Cancer Prevention
Cancer prevention is a prime concern of many adults. Frequent coffee consumption prevents various cancers and tea inhibits uncontrolled cell growth, according to The Tea Association of the USA. Digestive, oral, prostate, skin, lung and ovarian cancers have all been positively affected by tea and coffee. Coffee and tea contain anti-inflammatory properties, which may fight malignancy. Because free radicals are warded off by the antioxidants, cancer risk generally is lowered.
Weight Loss
Caffeine can raise metabolism and boost weight loss efforts. The caffeine in tea and coffee helps burn more calories, according to the November 1999 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The thermogenic effect of green tea also improves weight loss. Coffee and tea contain no calories and can be included in most weight loss plans. They increase energy expenditure and can help create the caloric deficit needed to burn fat.
References
- CoffeeResearch.org: Coffee Consumption Statistics in the United States
- Tea Association of the USA: Tea Fact Sheet
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Plant Polyphenols Exhibit Lipoprotein-Bound Antioxidant Activity Using an In Vitro Oxidation Model for Heart Disease; Joe A. Vinson et al.; November 1995
- "Archives of Internal Medicine": Dietary Flavonoids, Antioxidant Vitamins, and Incidence of Stroke; Sirving O. Kelly et al.; March 1996
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Comparative lipid and lipoprotein responses to solid-food diets and defined liquid-formula diets; November 1999
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