Which is Healthier, Green Tea or Coffee? Lifestyle – 4 hours ago

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Green tea and coffee are the drinks most frequently consumed by people after water. As alternative drinks, these two drinks are also easy to find in many places.

As long as you don’t make coffee or green tea with a mixture of sugar or cream, both drinks can be a good source of nutrition for disease prevention.

So which is healthier, green tea and coffee?

Coffee and green tea both contain caffeine

Launch Healthline, caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant drug worldwide. This substance is also naturally found in coffee and tea. In fact, coffee and green tea are often the most dominant sources of caffeine.

However, coffee contains three times more caffeine than green tea. An 8-ounce (240 mL) serving of coffee provides 96 mg of caffeine, while the same amount of green tea provides 29 mg.

According to research, a caffeine intake of 400 mg per day is considered safe for adults. However, the recommended limit drops to 100 mg per day for adolescents and 2.5 mg/kg per day for children.

Caffeine is one of the most studied substances due to its numerous beneficial effects on health, including:

• Increased energy levels, alertness, attention, and alertness
• Reduces mental and physical fatigue
• Improve accuracy
• Performance improvements
• Improves memory and mood

Evidence also shows caffeine has a protective effect on brain health, reducing the risk of dementia and other degenerative diseases.

Some studies have even linked caffeine intake to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Health benefits of green tea and coffee

Photo: Coffee Illustration. (CNBC Indonesia/Andrean Kristianto)

1. Great source of antioxidants

Coffee and green tea are rich in antioxidants, which are compounds with beneficial effects against oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a dangerous process that can negatively impact your health by causing disease and accelerating the aging process.

Both coffee and green tea are very rich in a group of antioxidants called polyphenols. Epigallocationchin gallate (EGCG) and chlorogenic acid (CGA), are the most abundant polyphenols in green tea and coffee, respectively. Test tube, animal, and human studies suggest that the drug may have powerful anticancer effects.

For example, EGCG can inhibit the growth and spread of tumors, and can cause tumor cell death.

Its anti-inflammatory effects can help prevent chronic inflammation that causes cancer. On the other hand, CGA appears to inhibit tumor growth and promote cancer cell death.

Studies show that the EGCG in green tea may have beneficial effects against cancer cells in head and neck tumors, as well as lung, prostate, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer cells.

In contrast, coffee CGA may have beneficial effects against liver, endometrial, and skin cancers.

In addition, CGA also benefits heart health and blood sugar control by regulating blood triglyceride levels and improving your cells’ response to the hormone insulin.

2. Weight loss effect

Coffee’s CGA and green tea’s EGCG, along with caffeine, give both drinks their weight-loss properties.

Animal studies show that CGA can reduce insulin, blood cholesterol, and blood triglycerides, as well as reduce body weight and visceral fat. Visceral fat is fat stored in the stomach around the organs. These fats are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Similarly, animal studies show that EGCG also causes weight loss and a reduction in visceral fat by promoting fat breakdown.

EGCG also helps increase the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which helps burn fat and improve insulin sensitivity, among other beneficial effects.

3. L-theanine in green tea

L-theanine is an amino acid that is naturally found in tea, including green tea. This compound is known to affect the brain, increasing feelings of calm and alertness.

A study found that people who took L-theanine had more alpha brain wave activity, which indicates a calm and alert mental state.

4. According to the risk of stroke

Evidence shows that green tea is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, diabetes and depression. Meanwhile, coffee is associated with a reduction in death rates from heart disease.

Side effects of coffee and green tea

Although coffee and green tea are known for their benefits, they also have some drawbacks and side effects.

Research shows that coffee and sweet tea are among the foods that contribute to high sugar intake in adults. It is linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cavities.

On the other hand, although caffeine is considered a beneficial drug, consuming too much of it can cause unwanted side effects, such as anxiety and sleep disorders caused by caffeine.

Evidence suggests that chronic caffeine intake can cause increased alertness and anxiety. If consumed in high doses above 400 mg per day it can worsen symptoms of anxiety, panic disorders and insomnia.

Additionally, caffeine use can cause dependence in some people.

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(hsy/hsy)