Coffee and tea are regularly consumed in an almost ritualistic manner, whether it be to kick-start the day with a boost of energy or a beverage to sip over pleasant conversation with close friends. Even business meetings are fueled by the dark-colored cup of “liquid alertness”. Fortunately, these beverages contain a variety of constituents that may also be beneficial to your health.
Recent research has suggested that coffee and tea, containing powerful antioxidant properties due to their high polyphenol content, may in fact reduce the risk of acquiring several debilitating health conditions, including: Type 2 Diabetes, Heart and Liver Disease, Stroke, Cancer, and Alzheimer’s Disease. A cup of hot Java may even aid in promoting healthy metabolism, thus supporting weight loss.
Type 2 Diabetes
Coffee has lots of a certain antioxidant that helps keep your blood sugar lower and more stable. And antioxidants from tea may help your body process sugar in your blood.
Parkinson’s Disease
Coffee and tea may help against this serious disease. Some studies suggest that caffeine can ease early symptoms of Parkinson’s, while others show that drinking coffee and tea might help protect your brain from it in the first place.
Heart Disease
In one study, people who drank 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day were less likely to have a buildup of calcium in the vessels that bring blood to your heart muscle. That could mean a lower chance of heart disease.
Liver Disease
Drinking 3 or more cups of coffee a day may lower your odds of having chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer -- and it may be an alternative medicine for people who have those issues. Coffee has more than 100 different chemical compounds in it, and scientists are trying to figure out what they do, and how they might work together to help your liver.
Strokes
A cup of coffee or tea a day might lower your chances of having one. This may be because coffee can ease inflammation and help control your blood sugar levels. And drinking black tea is linked to lower blood pressure, which can make you less likely to have a stroke
Cancer
Coffee and green tea might help prevent breast and prostate cancers, while all kinds of tea may protect you against the kinds of cancer that affect the ovaries and stomach. Researchers think antioxidants in tea, including ones called polyphenols, are to thank for this.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Coffee has antioxidants that may help protect neurons, and green tea has some that may help prevent the clusters of proteins believed to cause the disease.
Weight Loss
If you drink low-calorie beverages like coffee and tea instead of sugary ones, you may find it’s easier to lose weight. They can give you a satisfying pick-me-up with almost no calories. Of course, that doesn’t work if you add a bunch of sugar and cream.
Despite the health benefits of coffee and tea, too much caffeine can make you anxious or irritable and make it hard to sleep. It also can make you less able to hold onto calcium, which can lead to bone fractures (calcium keeps bones strong). Essentially, there are two sides to the coin. Moderate consumption, which I recommend, is the best way to enjoy coffee’s benefits without any side effects.