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Coffee And Tea: Natural Antioxidants
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Published: September 14, 2006
Anyone growing up with a lovingly overprotective mother knows the "tsk, tsk" sound made when you reach for that second cup of coffee. "It'll stunt your growth," she says. So she offers you a hot cup of tea and tells you to finish your broccoli.
However, there is new and compelling evidence proving coffee may share many of tea's health benefits. There is no evidence coffee will stunt your growth, but more scientists are finding that coffee and tea are good for you because they contain a substantial source of antioxidants.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are chemicals known to reduce the rate of oxidation in healthy living cells. In effect, it is anti-oxygen. This degeneration of healthy cells is mainly caused by free radicals, which are chemically unstable atoms that set up shop in healthy cells and rob them of their nutrients in order to stabilize themselves.
By destroying these free radicals and preventing any resulting cell damage, antioxidants provide a roster of health benefits. They help keep the immune system healthy, promote cardiovascular health and prevent vision degeneration. It is important to note these benefits only occur with groups of antioxidants, so any single antioxidant will have a fraction of these benefits.
Your mother was right when she told you to eat your fruits and vegetables. They are a superior source of antioxidants. But many people do not get the recommended nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Amazingly enough, many people are using coffee and tea to fill their antioxidant quota.
Tea has been touted as one of the healthiest beverages since its creation nearly 5,000 years ago. Many studies specifically testing green tea have found the beverage not only contains anti-degenerative effects, but it also helps with high cholesterol, diabetes, some types of cancer and weight-loss. Studies indicate this is because of green tea's high polyphenol antioxidant content. White tea is even more effective because it contains more of these antioxidants.
But many people already knew tea was the ideal beverage, leaving java drinkers on the fence about their beverage of choice. Other than waking you up in the morning, what benefits could coffee possibly have?
New studies show coffee also has antioxidants. In fact, it has four times as many antioxidants as green tea (1,000 to be exact). Also, the brewing method adds 300 more antioxidants and the roasting process creates its own set of health benefits. That’s right; coffee may actually be healthier than tea.
There are some other amazing health benefits to coffee as well. Aside from the antioxidants and their provided protection against cellular damage, there are decreased risks for liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease and Type II diabetes. Furthermore, because coffee and tea contain caffeine, they can increase your metabolic rate, which is the rate your body burns calories for energy.
These reduced risks, however, only apply to avid coffee drinkers; there is no reason to start drinking more coffee if you’re a regular drinker, or to start drinking coffee if you rarely drink it at all. Everything needs to be in moderation and scientists and moms agree, your main source of antioxidants - as well as other minerals and nutrients - should come from fruits and vegetables.
But drink to your health and have that second cup of coffee.
Sources
“Antioxidants.” Wikipedia. 14 September 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.com/>
“Coffee as Health Food?” Vol.179, No. 6 June/July 2004. Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. 14 September 2006. < http://www.teaandcoffee.net/0604/special.htm>“Coffee Talk: Some Surprising Health Benefits.” October 2005. Real Age, Inc. 14 September 2006. < http://realage.com/nutiritioncenter/articles/>< br />“Health benefits of tea.” Wikipedia. 14 September 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.com/>
However, there is new and compelling evidence proving coffee may share many of tea's health benefits. There is no evidence coffee will stunt your growth, but more scientists are finding that coffee and tea are good for you because they contain a substantial source of antioxidants.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are chemicals known to reduce the rate of oxidation in healthy living cells. In effect, it is anti-oxygen. This degeneration of healthy cells is mainly caused by free radicals, which are chemically unstable atoms that set up shop in healthy cells and rob them of their nutrients in order to stabilize themselves.
By destroying these free radicals and preventing any resulting cell damage, antioxidants provide a roster of health benefits. They help keep the immune system healthy, promote cardiovascular health and prevent vision degeneration. It is important to note these benefits only occur with groups of antioxidants, so any single antioxidant will have a fraction of these benefits.
Your mother was right when she told you to eat your fruits and vegetables. They are a superior source of antioxidants. But many people do not get the recommended nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Amazingly enough, many people are using coffee and tea to fill their antioxidant quota.
Tea has been touted as one of the healthiest beverages since its creation nearly 5,000 years ago. Many studies specifically testing green tea have found the beverage not only contains anti-degenerative effects, but it also helps with high cholesterol, diabetes, some types of cancer and weight-loss. Studies indicate this is because of green tea's high polyphenol antioxidant content. White tea is even more effective because it contains more of these antioxidants.
But many people already knew tea was the ideal beverage, leaving java drinkers on the fence about their beverage of choice. Other than waking you up in the morning, what benefits could coffee possibly have?
New studies show coffee also has antioxidants. In fact, it has four times as many antioxidants as green tea (1,000 to be exact). Also, the brewing method adds 300 more antioxidants and the roasting process creates its own set of health benefits. That’s right; coffee may actually be healthier than tea.
There are some other amazing health benefits to coffee as well. Aside from the antioxidants and their provided protection against cellular damage, there are decreased risks for liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease and Type II diabetes. Furthermore, because coffee and tea contain caffeine, they can increase your metabolic rate, which is the rate your body burns calories for energy.
These reduced risks, however, only apply to avid coffee drinkers; there is no reason to start drinking more coffee if you’re a regular drinker, or to start drinking coffee if you rarely drink it at all. Everything needs to be in moderation and scientists and moms agree, your main source of antioxidants - as well as other minerals and nutrients - should come from fruits and vegetables.
But drink to your health and have that second cup of coffee.
Sources
“Antioxidants.” Wikipedia. 14 September 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.com/>
“Coffee as Health Food?” Vol.179, No. 6 June/July 2004. Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. 14 September 2006. < http://www.teaandcoffee.net/0604/special.htm>“Coffee Talk: Some Surprising Health Benefits.” October 2005. Real Age, Inc. 14 September 2006. < http://realage.com/nutiritioncenter/articles/>< br />“Health benefits of tea.” Wikipedia. 14 September 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.com/>
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