Tea vs Coffee: The Battle of the Most Popular Drinks in the World

Tea and coffee have been providing refreshments for people for hundreds of years. Different people have different opinions on teas and coffees. So, which one is better tea vs. coffee? Coffee lovers are likely to defend coffee whereas tea lovers are likely to defend tea as they do not like to hear against their favorite drink. One thing is sure, both of them are great for boosting mental alertness as both tea and coffee contain the same stimulant known as caffeine.

Both tea and coffee contain their health benefits, so, people choose their drink depending on their needs. This is why; it is very difficult to select one as the best beverage; when making a comparison of tea vs. coffee.

People are more likely to go for tea when they need relaxation or go for coffee when they need to awaken their minds. So, tea vs. coffee is very difficult to answer as it depends on your mood.

Tea and coffee are popular in all corners of the world. They have been parts of the daily routine of the people, as both tea and coffee have made themselves part of a different culture. So, what has more importance in your daily life tea vs. coffee? The answer depends on the way you have developed habits for the particular drink.

If you are looking to make an entry into the beverage world and are not sure which one to choose from tea vs. coffee, then you have arrived at the right place. In this article, we have compared tea vs. coffee to assist you.

Popularity around the World

It looks like the debate will never end. Both tea and coffee are popular in many parts of the world, the difference is that some countries prefer to consume tea more and some prefer coffee more. Let’s compare the tea vs. coffee popularity to find out which of them has won the battle in the ranking for the most popularity.

Tea has provided us with more varieties than coffee. This might be one of the factors that have made tea more popular than coffee in many countries. Tea maintains the second position as the most consumed beverage all around the world after packaged water whereas coffee ranks just behind tea. Tea is the oldest beverage and has received love from most people as people find it the most revitalizing beverage to start their day with. But, it does not mean that people drink tea in the morning time only. Most people prefer to drink tea in the evening time as well. Research shows that around 300 billion liters of tea are consumed each year, with the majority of the production coming from China. Among the different varieties of tea, black tea has won the battle for being the most consumed tea type.

Even though tea has won the race in the tea vs. coffee popularity comparison, it does not mean that coffee is too behind tea. As more than 50 nations have got coffee production companies, we can say that coffee has also made itself one of the most demanded beverages in the world. Same as tea, most people prefer to drink coffee in the morning and evening time. However, you can take a sip of coffee whenever you feel that your brain is tired to re-activate your brain’s noradrenaline neurons.

Consumption Level

Both tea and coffee are consumed by people craving caffeine. However, different countries have different consumption levels of tea and coffee consumption as this beverage has different parts in different cultures. Let’s compare tea vs. coffee consumption levels in the countries where these beverages are most popular. According to recent Forbes research, China and Nigeria top the ranking in the most tea-consuming countries. 98.9% of adults in China prefer to consume tea whereas only 1.1 % of them prefer to consume coffee. It shows that coffee consumption is way too low in China as compared to tea consumption. Likewise, Nigeria is the other country that is most known for tea consumption as 95.4 % of adults prefer to consume tea whereas only 4.6 % of them prefer coffee.

As we make tea vs. coffee consumption analysis, it is identified that Brazil and Sweden are the countries that are more popular for coffee consumption. The report shows that 97.4 % of adults prefer coffee consumption whereas only 2.6 % of them prefer tea. Likewise, 90.6 % of adults in Sweden prefer coffee whereas only 9.4 % of them prefer tea.

Which Came First

Both tea and coffee have been in existence since the very old days. So, what were the first drinks of caffeine for people – tea or coffee? The exact date is not confirmed for the start of the consumption of tea or coffee. However, the records have shown that people started to consume tea before coffee. To find out the starting days for tea or coffee, let’s go through their history and origin.

Origin of Tea

There is a very interesting story behind the origin of tea with historic myths included in it. According to legends, tea originated in ancient China around 5000 years back. Emperor ShenNung was taking a rest as he was boiling some water to drink near a wild tree when a few leaves from the tree fell into the pot. He was very attracted to the scent of leaves in the boiled water. As he tried consuming it, he found it to be very tasty and flavorful, so, he decided to research further only to find out that it also had some health benefits. He immediately began to pass the information to other Chinese people and encouraged them to start growing the plant to gain health benefits. It established him as the founder of this popular beverage. Since those days, tea has been part of Chinese culture and the country is still popular as the number one tea-consuming country in the world.

This history of tea suggests that Portuguese people were the first lucky people from Europe to enjoy tea. They got tea as a gift from merchants from Asia. However, it was the Dutch who began the commercial production of tea in the European region. In the beginning days of tea in Europe, it was not affordable for all people as they were very expensive. Only the rich could enjoy the flavor of the awesome drinks in those days.

Origin of Coffee

Likewise, tea, the story behind the origin of coffee is also quite interesting. It all started back in 700 AD, when Kaldi, a goat herder from Ethiopia went to feed his goats and suddenly realized that his goats were not showing normal behavior. He found out that his goats were eating red berries which led his goats to act funny. Being surprised by the finding, he shared the information with a monk. After this part, the story took a separate path as 2 stories are heard in the later parts. The first one states that the monk was very happy to find the fruit that would awake him all night as he wished. However, according to the second story, the monk did not believe Kaldi and threw the fruits away that reached the fire and generated an attractive aroma. They decided to preserve them by keeping them in hot water. The aroma attracted many other monks and they started to consume it daily. It started the beginning of roasted coffee in the world.

It cannot be said whether it is true or myth regarding a story about the origins, but coffee surely was cultivated in Ethiopia for the first time at the time of the 9th century.

Even though; Yemen has its own ancient story regarding the origin of coffee, there is a common belief that Yemen got its first coffee as an import from Ethiopia. Later, they began to cultivate coffee beans in Yemen itself. Today, one of the popular coffees we drink – mocha, is named after the Mocha city of Yemen. 

Caffeine Contents and Effects: Tea vs. Coffee

Caffeine preference is different for different people. Have you ever drunk tea just to relax and suddenly your brain is on high alert and wondering- does tea have more caffeine than coffee? No, tea has less caffeine than coffee if you compare cup to cup, but tea has more caffeine if you compare it by weight. So tea has more caffeine per gram than coffee. As tea and coffee both have the same stimulant, they may provide the same impact on some people. Let’s compare caffeine in tea vs. coffee cup to cup to make it clearer. There is twice as much caffeine in coffee than caffeine in tea. The level of caffeine content in coffee is between 96 to 200 mg per cup whereas tea caffeine content depends on the type of tea that you are drinking. One cup of black tea contains 14 mg to 70 mg of caffeine and green contains 24 mm to 45 mg of caffeine. Similarly, the white tea caffeine content in a cup of tea is 6 mm to 60 mg.

Are you looking to enjoy this beverage without consuming caffeine? If you are a coffee lover, unfortunately, you are very unlikely to find a beverage without caffeine in coffee. However, you have the option to go for decaf coffee in which coffee caffeine content level is only 5mg to 10 mg per cup which is much lower than other coffee. If you are a tea lover, then we have good news for you as you can enjoy tea without caffeine. Yes, you heard it right. You can go for herbal tea if you want to enjoy a beverage without caffeine in the tea.

Now, that we have learned about caffeine in tea vs. coffee, let’s learn about their effects on our health. So, how do the benefits differ in consuming caffeine content tea vs. coffee? If you are looking for a quick awakening of your mind, then coffee is best for you as it contains high levels of caffeine. However, if you are looking for slow but long-lasting energy, then the tea is best for you as tea contains L-theanine chemical which plays a role in metabolizing caffeine for a sustained period.

Both tea and coffee are healthy for you It is recommended to maintain caffeine consumption lower than 500 milligrams in a day.

Flavor Comparison

Tea flavors depend on the type of tea you are drinking even though all the flavors come from the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. There are varieties of options for tea flavors from fruity, citrusy, and nutty to earthy, all depending on your mood. For strong flavor, try oolong tea and black tea.

The flavors of coffee are stronger than tea as they contain more caffeine. Coffee flavors can be described as smoky, nutty, and flowery. Due to the high level of caffeine, people also describe coffee flavors to be bitter, acidic, or sour.

The Medical Mystery

Despite the many health benefits of coffee and tea, they might not be helpful for some people. People who are suffering from migraine find caffeine intake not good for their medical condition. This is still a medical mystery that tea and coffee consumption worsens the headache in people with migraine. So, if you get a headache or your headache gets worse after the consumption of tea and coffee, then it is time to cut back on your caffeine intake until this medical mystery is solved and alternatives like Tulsi herbal Tea might be of help as it helps you with migraine and headaches.

Why do we think tea is better?

Many people feel that they have more energy when consuming tea rather than coffee. It made many wonders – is tea better than coffee? Tea might not provide instant buzz, but it provides you with relaxing energy that lasts for a longer period. You will be alert and calm at the same time after consuming tea. So, tea is better than coffee for people looking for slow but long-lasting energy.

Conclusion

Tea and coffee are beneficial in their way, however; you must select high-quality tea or coffee to gain the maximum benefits. Danfe tea brings to you the highest quality Himalayan mountain teas with all the healthy ingredients that help you get all the benefits you're looking for from drinking tea. Danfe Tea from Nepal is available in many flavors and varieties to ensure your taste and healing requirements are met. 

Buy the Finest Loose-Leaf Teas from the Himalayas 

Danfe Tea brings you the finest loose-leaf teas in the Himalayas. With robust flavors and many health benefits, we invite you to try our high-quality black teas. These teas are available in 2.5-3.5 oz or 1 lb variants. We also offer monthly subscriptions to these products.